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 .
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 13-14 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 13, line 3, the limitation “a second conductive portion” renders the claimed indefinite because it is not clear “a second conductive portion” in line 3 is same or different with “a second conductive portion” in line 2. For examination purpose, it is interpreted as “the second conductive portion”.
Claim 14 is rejected for being dependent on the indefinite claim 13.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jung et al (US 2021/0185164, cited on IDS dated 11/10/2025).
Regarding claim 1, Jung discloses in Figures 2A and 14, par. 0006, an electronic device (200) comprising:
a housing (210, 220, Fig. 2A) at least partially made of a conductive material (see par. 0006);
a printed circuit board (1310, 1320, Fig. 14);
a first antenna (1339, Fig. 14) configured to operate using a first conductive portion (210, Fig. 14) of the housing (210, Fig. 14);
a second antenna (1337, Fig. 14) configured to operate using a second conductive portion of the housing;
a third antenna (1335, Fig. 14) configured to operate using a third conductive portion of the housing;
a fourth antenna (1430, Fig. 14) disposed on the printed circuit board (1310);
a first communication module (620, Fig. 14) connected to the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna; and
a second communication module (1420, Fig. 14) connected to the fourth antenna (1430),
wherein the printed circuit board (1310, Fig. 14) comprises a first portion (portion from 1317, 620, 1420 to bottom end of PCB 1310) formed to surround space where at least one electronic component (610, Fig. 14) is disposed, a second portion (portion from 1315 to top end of PCB 1310) facing the first portion, and a third portion (portion between 1315 and 1317 of PCB 1310) arranged between the first portion and the second portion,
wherein the first communication module (620) is disposed on the first portion or the third portion of the printed circuit board (1310), and wherein the fourth antenna (1430) is disposed on the second portion of the printed circuit board.
Regarding claim 2, as applied to claim 1, Jung discloses in Figure 14 and par. 0261,
wherein the fourth antenna (1430) is a printed circuit board (PCB) embedded-type antenna (PEA) embedded in the second portion of the printed circuit board (1310).
Regarding claim 3, as applied to claim 1, Jung discloses in Figure 14,
wherein the fourth antenna (1430) is disposed at a predetermined distance apart from the at least one electronic component (610).
Regarding claim 6, as applied to claim 1, Jung discloses in Figure 14 and par. 0129,
wherein the first communication module (620) comprises at least one of a low-noise amplifier (LNA) module, a radio-frequency (RF) module, and/or a switching module, and wherein the second communication module (620) comprises an ultra-wide band (UWB) module and/or a Wi-Fi module.
Regarding claim 8, as applied to claim 1, Jung discloses in Figure 14,
wherein the first antenna (1339) at least partially overlaps the first communication module (620) disposed within the electronic device when viewed from a side of the housing (210),
wherein the second antenna (1337) at least partially overlaps a first electronic component (1313) disposed within the electronic device when viewed from the side of the housing, and
wherein the third antenna (1335) at least partially overlaps a second electronic component (1311) disposed within the electronic device when viewed from the side of the housing.
Regarding claim 9, as applied to claim 1, Jung discloses in Figure 6,
wherein the electronic device (200) is a foldable electronic device, and wherein the housing comprises: a first housing (210), a second housing (220) foldable relative to the first housing, and a hinge structure (264) rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing and providing a folding axis (A) at a center of the first housing and the second housing.
Regarding claim 10, as applied to claim 9, Jung discloses in Figure 2A,
wherein the first housing (210) comprises a first surface (211) oriented in a first direction, a second surface (212) oriented in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a first side surface member (213a, 213b, 213c) at least partially surrounding a space between the first surface and the second surface, and
wherein the second housing (220) comprises a third surface (221) oriented in a third direction, a fourth surface (222) oriented in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction, and a second side surface member (221) at least partially surrounding a space between the third surface (221) and the fourth surface (222).
Regarding claim 11, as applied to claim 10, Jung discloses in Figures 2A and 6A,
wherein the first side surface member (213a) of the housing or the second side surface member of the housing comprises: a first side portion (213a) disposed parallel to the folding axis (axis A);
a second side portion (213b) extending in a direction intersecting the folding axis from one end of the first side portion;
a third side portion (213c) extending in a direction intersecting the folding axis from another end of the first side portion;
a fourth side portion (folding line 264, see Fig. 6A) extending parallel to the folding axis (axis A) and connecting the second side portion and the third side portion; and
multiple slits (see Figs. 6A, 6B) formed in the first side portion, the second side portion, and the third side portion.
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 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al (US 2021/0185164).
Regarding claim 4, Jung discloses every feature of claimed invention as expressly recited in claim 1, except for the fourth antenna disposed at least 1.00 mm apart from the at least one electronic component. However, such difference is not patentable merit. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to set the distance between the fourth antenna and the electronic component at a desired value to avoid the electromagnetic field interference between the fourth antenna and electronic component, and 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 ordinary skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 5, Jung discloses in Figure 1, the at least one electronic component comprising a camera module (180).
Jung is silent on the camera module disposed on the first portion. However, such difference is not patentable merit because shifting location of the camera module is not modified the operation of the device, and it has been held to be within general skill of a worker to rearrange on the basis of its suitability as a matter of obvious design choice. Therefore, to employ having the camera module on the first portion as claimed invention would have been obvious to person skill in the art.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al (US 2021/0185164) in view of Amiri et al (US 2020/0259258).
Regarding claim 7, Jung discloses every feature of claimed invention as expressly recited in claim 6, except for wherein the fourth antenna is an antenna for UWB distance measurement, and the UWB module is an antenna for UWB AoA measurement.
Arimi discloses in Figure 6, wherein the fourth antenna (40) is an antenna for UWB distance measurement, and the UWB module (36) is an antenna for UWB AoA measurement.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the fourth antenna of Jung with the antenna as taught by Amiri to detect the location of external device. Therefore, to employ having the fourth antenna as claimed invention would have been obvious to person skill in the art.
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al (US 2021/0185164) in view of Lee et al (US 2017/0048363).
Regarding claim 12, as applied to claim 11, Jung discloses in Figures 2A and 14,
wherein the second side portion (213b, Fig. 2A or top side including 1337 ) comprises [[a ground terminal and]] a power terminal (terminal where circuit 1313 or 1311 coupled to 1337, Fig. 14).
Jung is silent on the second side portion comprising a ground terminal.
Lee discloses in Figure 19, wherein the second side portion comprises a ground terminal and a power terminal.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the second side portion of Jung with the second side portion having a ground terminal as taught by Lee to provide inverted F antenna type for the electronic device. Therefore, to employ have the ground portion as claimed invention would have been obvious to person skill in the art.
Regarding claim 13, as applied to claim 12, Lee discloses in Figure 19,
wherein the second side portion comprises a first conductive portion (1907) and a second conductive portion (1905) separated by a first slit (1916), and
[[a]] the second conductive portion (1905) and a third conductive portion (1903) separated by a second slit (1914).
Regarding claim 14, as applied to claim 13, Lee, Figure 19, wherein the second conductive portion (1905) of the second side portion
is electrically connected to a power portion or a ground portion (see power portion and ground portion of 1940) included in the first portion of the printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the first slit (1916), and is electrically connected to a ground portion or a power portion (ground portion and feed portion of (1930) included in the second portion of the printed circuit board at a position adjacent to the second slit (1914).
Claims 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al in view of Jung et al (US 2021/0185164) in view of Choi et al (US 2016/0241750).
Regarding claim 15, Jung discloses every feature of claimed invention as expressly recited in claim 1, except for a wall protruding from an edge of at least one of the first portion or the third portion of the printed circuit board in a height direction of the electronic device.
Choi discloses in Figure 4, a wall (130) protruding from an edge of at least one of the first portion or the third portion of the printed circuit board (110) in a height direction of the electronic device.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the PCB of Jung with the PCB having a wall protruding as taught by Choi to protect the electronic component of the electronic device.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEU HIEN T DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8980. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am-4:00pm.
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/DIEU HIEN T DUONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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