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
Status of Application
This Office Action is a response to Applicant’s communication (or preliminary’s amendment) filed on 01/13/2025. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-20 are currently presented in the instant application.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). A certified copy of the priority documents received on 02/21/2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 08/13/2025 and 10/25/2025 in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is considered by the examiner.
If applicant is aware of any prior art or any other co-pending application not already of record, he/she is reminded of his/her duty under 37 CFR 1.97 to disclose the same.
Drawing Objection(s)
The drawings submitted on 01/13/2025 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, feature(s) “a plurality of cells” in lines 1-2 of claim 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency.
Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 6-9 and 12 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 6,
The recitation “the beam” in line 2 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
The recitation “one or more second beams of one or more other antenna array planes” in lines 2-2 is considered vague because it is unclear regarding one or more first beams. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the radiation area” in line 3 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
Regarding claim 12,
The recitation “the radiation area” in line 1 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification 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, 6-7 and 12, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jong et al (US 20190229413), hereinafter Jong.
Regarding claim 1,
Jong discloses an antenna system (an antenna system AS, Fig 8A), comprising a plurality of antenna groups (a plurality of communication devices 300 and 301, Fig 8A; paragraph [0148])), wherein
each antenna group comprises two antenna array planes (antenna arrays 321 and 331, Fig 4A) and one mounting panel (a substrate 310, Fig 4A), the two antenna array planes are symmetrically mounted on two planes of the mounting panel (Fig 4A);
each antenna array plane comprises at least one antenna element (Fig 4A) and the two antenna array planes in each antenna group work simultaneously (“the antenna arrays 321 and 331 may be electrically connected to the communication circuit 341 through a conductive via which passes from the first surface 301 to the second surface 302 of the substrate 310, and the antenna arrays 321 and 331 may be fed through capacitive coupling with the communication circuit 341” paragraph [0091]).
Jong does not explicitly teach the plurality of antenna groups are configured to form a plurality of radiation areas, and each radiation area is formed by cooperative radiation of beams from a plurality of antenna array planes in different antenna groups of the plurality of antenna groups.
However, Jong teaches the first antenna array 321 and the second antenna array 331 may radiate beams in different directions due to polarizations and locations thereof (paragraph [0105]). In the case of the dual polarized antenna array group, the one antenna array group may include a plurality of antenna arrays having different beam patterns (paragraph 0122]). According to an embodiment, a first antenna array (e.g., the first antenna array 321 of FIG. 3A) and a second antenna array (e.g., the second antenna array 331 of FIG. 3A) of the first communication device 300 may form beam patterns facing opposite directions (paragraph [0152]). This teaching is result effect in order to efficiently mount a plurality of antennas in a small space defined within an electronic device (paragraph [0011]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a plurality of antenna groups being configured to form a plurality of radiation areas, and each radiation area being formed by cooperative radiation of beams from a plurality of antenna array planes in different antenna groups of the plurality of antenna groups in Jong, in order to reduce distortion of radiation patterns.
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Regarding claim 6,
Jong as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Jong teaches each antenna array plane comprises one beam on a horizontal plane (paragraph [0089]).
Jong does not explicitly teach the beam and one or more second beams of one or more other antenna array planes radiate cooperatively to form the radiation area.
However, Jong teaches the first antenna array 321 and the second antenna array 331 may radiate beams in different directions due to polarizations and locations thereof (paragraph [0105]). In the case of the dual polarized antenna array group, the one antenna array group may include a plurality of antenna arrays having different beam patterns (paragraph 0122]). According to an embodiment, a first antenna array (e.g., the first antenna array 321 of FIG. 3A) and a second antenna array (e.g., the second antenna array 331 of FIG. 3A) of the first communication device 300 may form beam patterns facing opposite directions (paragraph [0152]). This teaching is result effect in order to efficiently mount a plurality of antennas in a small space defined within an electronic device (paragraph [0011]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a beam and one or more second beams of one or more other antenna array planes radiating cooperatively to form a radiation area in Jong as modified, in order to reduce distortion of radiation patterns.
Regarding claim 7,
Jong as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 6.
Jong does not explicitly teach the beam and the one or more second beams have same radiation ranges and different horizontal directions of normals.
However, Jong teaches the first antenna array 321 and the second antenna array 331 may radiate beams in different directions due to polarizations and locations thereof (paragraph [0105]). This teaching is result effect in order to efficiently mount a plurality of antennas in a small space defined within an electronic device (paragraph [0011]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a beam and one or more second beams having same radiation ranges and different horizontal directions of normals in Jong as modified, in order to reduce distortion of radiation patterns.
Regarding claim 12,
Jong as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 6.
Jong does not explicitly teach the radiation area comprises a plurality of cells, and each cell corresponds to one carrier frequency.
However, Jong teaches a cellular communication module 1892 and a cellular network 1899 (Fig 18; paragraph [0320]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a radiation area comprising a plurality of cells, and each cell corresponding to one carrier frequency in Jong as modified, in order to reduce distortion of radiation patterns.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 8-11 and 13-20 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.
Regarding claim 2, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “each antenna array plane comprises two beams on a horizontal plane, and an intersection area between a first beam of the two beams and a second beam of another antenna array plane is one radiation area of the plurality of radiation areas”.
Dependent claims 3-5 are considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 2.
Regarding claim 8, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the plurality of radiation areas are formed after each antenna group in the antenna system performs intra-group phase calibration, and the intra-group phase calibration is a phase calibration procedure between two antenna array planes in a same antenna group”.
Regarding claim 9, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the plurality of radiation areas are formed after each antenna group in the antenna system performs inter-group phase calibration, and the inter-group phase calibration is a phase calibration procedure between two antenna array planes from different antenna groups”.
Regarding claim 10, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “each antenna array plane is configured to form one radiation area at a moment, and a quantity of radiation areas formed by the antenna system is equal to a quantity of antenna groups”.
Regarding claim 11, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “each antenna array plane is configured to form N radiation areas at a moment, N is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and a quantity of radiation areas formed by the antenna system is greater than a quantity of antenna groups”.
Regarding claim 13, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “each antenna group comprises a first included angle and a second included angle, the first included angle and the second included angle each are an included angle formed between each antenna array plane and an antenna element in the antenna array plane in the antenna group, and the first included angle and the second included angle are axially symmetric with respect to the mounting panel”.
Regarding claim 14, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “each antenna group comprises an electric bridge, two output ends of the electric bridge are respectively connected to the two antenna array planes in the antenna group, two input ends of the electric bridge are respectively connected to two power amplifiers, and the electric bridge is configured to adjust power levels of the two antenna array planes”.
Regarding claim 15, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the antenna system comprises a plurality of poles, each antenna group is mounted on one pole of the plurality of poles, the two antenna array planes in the antenna group are symmetric with respect to a first plane of the mounting panel, and a central axis of the pole is located on the first plane”.
Regarding claim 16, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the mounting panel in each antenna group comprises at least one turned edge, and the turned edge is configured to block a signal that is radiated by an antenna array plane in the antenna group in a reverse direction of a normal”.
Regarding claim 17, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the antenna system is a passive antenna system, the two antenna array planes in each antenna group are connected to a same remote radio unit (RRU), the mounting panel in each antenna group comprises a first feed network, a second feed network, and at least one reflection plate, and the first feed network and the second feed network each feed power to a different antenna array plane in the antenna group comprising the first feed network and the second feed network”.
Dependent claim 18 is considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 17.
Regarding claim 19, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the antenna system is an active antenna system, the mounting panel in each antenna group comprises at least one heat sink and at least one active board, the heat sink and the active board are located between the two antenna array planes in the antenna group, the heat sink is configured to dissipate heat of the at least one active board, and the at least one active board is configured to feed power to the antenna array planes in the antenna group comprising the at least one active board”.
Dependent claim 20 is considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 19.
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hai Tran whose telephone number is (571) 270-7650. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached on (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAI V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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