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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “wherein an open ended line that is configured to act as a bandpass filter that suppresses currents in the second frequency band extends from the first ground line”, “wherein a central region of the first ground line includes an open area where metallization is omitted that is configured to operate as a high-pass filter that suppresses currents in the second frequency band”, and “wherein a forward portion of the first ground line includes a plurality of slots where metallization is omitted that are configured to suppress currents in the second frequency band” 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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 364. 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. 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 17-19 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.
Regarding claim 17, the limitation “wherein an open ended line that is configured to act as a bandpass filter that suppresses currents in the second frequency band extends from the first ground line” is recited. It is unclear what is intended to be the open ended line in the antenna as it is not identified in the figures. It is not apparent what is to be considered open ended.
Regarding claim 18, the limitation “wherein a central region of the first ground line includes an open area where metallization is omitted that is configured to operate as a high-pass filter that suppresses currents in the second frequency band” is recited. It is unclear what is intended to be the “open area where metallization is omitted” in the antenna as it is not identified in the figures. It is not apparent what is or is not this area and how it is configured as a high-pass filter.
Regarding claim 19, the limitation “wherein a forward portion of the first ground line includes a plurality of slots where metallization is omitted that are configured to suppress currents in the second frequency band” is recited. It is unclear what is intended to be the “plurality of slots where metallization is omitted” in the antenna as it is not identified in the figures. It is not apparent what is or is not this area and how it is configured to suppress currents.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5, 7-9, 11, 13, 16, 20-21, 30, 37, 39-40, and 42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Enkhbayar et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20220059929, made of record in IDS dated 30 January 2025), hereinafter known as Enkhbayar.
Regarding claim 1, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) a cross-dipole radiating element (see Fig. 3), comprising: a feed stalk (see Fig. 4, [0041]) having a base and a distal end that is positioned forwardly of the base (see Fig. 4); a first dipole radiator (opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm (see Fig. 3); and a second dipole radiator (other of opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the second dipole radiator including a third dipole arm and a fourth dipole arm (see Fig. 3), wherein the feed stalk includes a first ground line (600), a first signal trace (304) that at least partially overlaps the first ground line (see Figs. 5-6), and a transmission line segment (540, 550, 640,or 650) that extends from the first ground line and/or the first signal trace (see Figs. 5-6), wherein the transmission line segment includes a transmission line signal trace (540 or 550) that is short-circuited to a ground conductor (640 or 650) of the transmission line segment (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 4, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the transmission line signal trace extends from the first signal trace (See Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the ground conductor of the transmission line segment extends from the first ground line (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the feed stalk comprises a feed stalk printed circuit board (310), and the first signal trace is a first metallization pattern on a first side of the feed stalk printed circuit board (see Fig. 5)and the first ground line is a second metallization pattern on a second side of the feed stalk printed circuit board (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 8, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the feed stalk further comprises a second ground line (610) that comprises a third metallization pattern on the second side of the feed stalk printed circuit board that is separated from the first ground line by a gap (see Fig. 6), and wherein the first signal trace and the transmission line signal trace each overlap the gap (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 9, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein a first end of the transmission line signal trace is connected to the first ground line via a first plated through hole (560) in the feed stalk printed circuit board and the second end of the transmission line signal trace is connected to the second ground line via a second plated through hole (570) in the feed stalk printed circuit board (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 11, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the transmission line signal trace includes at least one meandered section (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 13, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the ground conductor of the transmission line segment has an average width that is less than an average width of the first ground line and the transmission line signal trace has an average width that is less than an average width of the first signal trace (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 16, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) in combination with a base station antenna that includes a second radiating element (plurality of radiators) that is configured to operate in a second frequency band that is higher than an operating frequency band of the cross-dipole radiating element ([0003]).
Regarding claim 20, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) a cross-dipole radiating element (see Fig. 3), comprising: a feed stalk (see Fig. 4, [0041]) having a base and a distal end that is positioned forwardly of the base (see Fig. 4); a first dipole radiator (opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm (see Fig. 3); and a second dipole radiator (other of opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the second dipole radiator including a third dipole arm and a fourth dipole arm (see Fig. 3), wherein the feed stalk includes a first ground line (600) that extends from the base (502 or 504 metallized on opposite side) to connect to the first dipole arm ([0056]), a first signal trace (304) that extends from the base to connect to the second dipole arm (502 or 504), and a transmission line segment (540, 550, 640,or 650) that has a transmission line signal trace (540 or 550) (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 21, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the transmission line signal trace is short-circuited to the first ground line (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 30, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein a width of the transmission line signal trace is less than a width of the first signal trace (see Figs. 5-6).
Regarding claim 37, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) a cross-dipole radiating element (see Fig. 3), comprising: a feed stalk (see Fig. 4, [0041]) having a base and a distal end that is positioned forwardly of the base (see Fig. 4); a first dipole radiator (opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm (see Fig. 3); and a second dipole radiator (other of opposing sections of 325) mounted at the distal end of the feed stalk, the second dipole radiator including a third dipole arm and a fourth dipole arm (see Fig. 3), wherein the feed stalk includes a first ground line (600) that extends from the base (502 or 504 metallized on opposite side) to connect to the first dipole arm ([0056]), a second ground line (610) that is separated from the first ground trace by a gap (see Fig. 6), a first signal trace (540, 550, 640,or 650) that crosses the gap (see Fig. 5), and a transmission line segment (304) that includes a transmission line signal trace that crosses the gap (see Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 39, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the first signal trace is short-circuited to the first ground line on a first side of the gap (at 560) and is short-circuited to the second ground line on a second side of the gap (at 550).
Regarding claim 40, Enkhbayar discloses (Figs. 3-10) wherein the transmission line segment is at least a portion of a short-circuited transmission line that is configured to suppress unbalanced currents from flowing onto the feed stalk ([0048]).
Regarding claim 42, wherein the first ground line acts as the ground conductor of the transmission line segment (see Fig. 6, attached to ground).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 41 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20160240933) teaches a dipole antenna.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MUNOZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1957. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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, Dimary Lopez can be reached at 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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/DANIEL MUNOZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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