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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-23 are currently pending and have been examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/26/2025 has been considered by the examiner and an initialed copy of the IDS is hereby attached.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6,7 and 13 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 6,7 and 13 recites acronyms which should be placed within parenthesis rather than commas. Appropriate correction is required.
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 8-12 and 18 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 8-12 and 18 recite the limitation, “combiner/divider” which is indefinite as it is unclear whether “combiner/divider” means “combiner and divider” or “combiner or divider”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7,9-13,14,16 and 19-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by FRANSON et al. (US 20210005977 A1).
Regarding claim 1, FRANSON discloses
An antenna apparatus (see Fig. 1, 100) comprising:
a plurality of subassemblies (see Fig. 1, further see paragraph 0021, “FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example antenna apparatus, 100, according to an embodiment. Antenna apparatus 100 may include an antenna subassembly 110 adhered to an embedded component subassembly 150 to form a stacked structure with a low profile. Antenna subassembly 110 includes a plurality of antenna elements 120 spatially arranged across a top major surface of a substrate 117 to form an antenna array 122”) each comprising:
an antenna substrate (see Fig. 1, 117) having an upper surface (see Fig. 1, top major surface) and a lower surface (see Fig. 1, bottom surface of 117), with at least one antenna element formed on the lower surface (see Fig. 2B, antenna 120);
at least one semiconductor component forming part of a beamforming network (see paragraph 0023, “beamforming network”), BFN, having a lower surface attached to the upper surface of the antenna substrate (see Fig. 1, 117), wherein the lower surface of the at least one semiconductor component is radio frequency, RF, coupled to the at least one antenna element through the antenna substrate (see Fig. 1, further see paragraph 0021), and the at least one semiconductor component is electrically connected to other components of the BFN through an upper surface of the at least one semiconductor component (see Fig. 2B, vias 114); and
first molding material formed on the upper surface of the antenna substrate and at least partially encapsulating the at least one semiconductor component (see Fig. 4, first molding material 152, further see paragraph 0023, “Referring still to FIG. 1, embedded component subassembly 150 includes beamforming network components encapsulated within a molding material 152, together forming an embedded structure 154, which may sometimes be referred to as a reconstituted wafer. Subassembly 150 may further include one or more interconnect layers 155 (herein, interchangeably called “redistribution layers (RDLs)”) formed (e.g., using a multi-step deposition process of dielectric and conductive materials) on the molding material 152 to electrically couple the beamforming network components to the antenna elements 120.”); and
second molding material adhering the plurality of subassemblies to one another, the second molding material having an upper surface that is coplanar with an upper surface of the first molding material (see Fig. 4, where dielectric material 185 is the “second molding material”, further see paragraph 0032, “Coplanar waveguide (CPW) connections may also be made between various components through RDL layers 155 to form interconnects to route RF signals. For example, transmission line section 180 may include conductive traces such as inner CPW trace 182 extending along a top surface of a low loss dielectric material 185 such as quartz or fused silica. Dielectric material 185 is desirably a material having a lower loss tangent than that of encapsulant 152”).
Regarding claim 2, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subassemblies are cooperatively coupled to one another to form an electronically steerable antenna array (see paragraph 0024, “If antenna array 122 is fed as a phased array, IC chips 160 may include phase shifters active in the transmit and/or receive paths for phasing antenna elements 120 with respect to each other, to thereby dynamically steer the antenna beam. In an example, a single coaxial feed-through transmission line (“coax feed-through”) 170 may route the input RF signal on the transmit side and/or route a combined receive signal from all the antenna elements 120 on the receive side.”, further see paragraph 0021).
Regarding claim 3, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the second molding material includes a lower portion and a further portion directly above the lower portion; and each antenna substrate includes a side surface adhered to a side surface of an adjacent antenna substrate by the lower portion of the second molding material (see Fig. 4, second molding material 185 between 110 and 150).
Regarding claim 4, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus claim 1, wherein the attachment of the lower surface of the at least one semiconductor component to the upper surface of the antenna substrate is made through metal pillars , formed on the lower surface of the at least one semiconductor component or the upper surface of the antenna substrate, and solder on the metal pillars (see Fig. 2B, further see paragraph 0028, “During this assembly stage, pad Ps may be soldered to the microstrip probe feed 114 through a solder ball (or bump/pillar) 147s melted and then cooled during the adhering process.”).
Regarding claim 5, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein in each of the subassemblies, the RF coupling of the at least one semiconductor component to the antenna elements is made through at least one via within the antenna substrate (see Fig. 2B, further see paragraph 0028, “Conductive vias Vs, Vg formed within interconnect layer 155 each have a respective end connected to contacts 162s, 162g and an opposite end having respective contact pads Ps, Pg.”).
Regarding claim 6, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus claim 1, wherein each of the subassemblies includes a plurality of electrical contacts of a redistribution layer, RDL, formed on an upper surface of the first molding material (see Fig. 4 further see paragraph 0030, “In the shown example, the one or more RDL layers 155 comprise a lower RDL layer 155a and an upper RDL layer 155b, where upper RDL layer 155b separates conductive traces such as 198, 168, and 188 and the adhesive layer 130/ground plane 119. In an alternative design, upper RDL layer 155b is omitted, such that only the adhesive layer 130 separates the ground plane 119 and the conductive traces atop the RDL layer 155a.”).
Regarding claim 7, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a printed wiring board, PWB, that provides a control signal and/or a bias voltage to the at least one semiconductor component of each of the plurality of subassemblies through the RDL and a solder bump (see Fig. 5 further see paragraph 0034, “A plurality of vias 190 may be disposed adjacent to one or more edges of each IC chip 160. Each via 190 may connect to a respective contact 162f of the adjacent IC chip 160 through an RDL interconnect 198 to route a DC bias signal or a control signal to/from that IC chip 160. For instance, a DC bias signal(s) may bias a transmit direction power amplifier and/or a receive direction low noise amplifier (LNA) of an IC chip 160. Control signals may dynamically control phase of phase shifters within IC chips 160.”).
Regarding claim 9, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a combiner/divider having at least a portion thereof disposed between first and second ones of the plurality of subassemblies adjacent to one another (see Fig. 5, combiner/divider network 180, further see paragraph 0024, “Hereafter, transmission line section 180 may be interchangeably referred to as combiner/divider network 180. In the transmit direction, combiner/divider network 180 functions as a divider that divides an RF transmit signal applied through transmission line 170 into a plurality of divided transmit signals, each applied to one of IC chips 160. In the receive direction, combiner/divider network 180 functions as a combiner that combines a plurality of receive signals each received by one or a group of antenna elements 120 and routed through (and typically modified by) an IC chip 160.”).
Regarding claims 10-12, the same cited section and rationale as claims 1, 8 and 18 are applied.
Regarding claim 13, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the subassemblies further includes at least one integrated circuit, IC, chip for digital beamforming, adhered to the antenna substrate thereof and RF coupled to the at least one semiconductor component (see Figs. 1 and 4, further see paragraph 0023, “. IC chips 160 may be monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) chips. In one example, IC chips 160 are each indium phosphide (InP). In another example, IC chips may be another semiconductor material such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), etc. Any IC chip 160 may feed several antenna elements 120. (Herein, “feeding” an antenna element refers to transmitting a signal to an antenna element and/or receiving a signal from an antenna element.)”).
Regarding claim 14, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one IC chip includes at least one of an analog to digital converter (ADC) or a digital to analog converter (DAC) coupled to the at least one semiconductor component (see paragraphs 0043-0044, “Antenna subassembly 110′ may be of substantially the same construction as antenna subassembly 110, but with an extended dielectric portion 117 upon which an ADC/DAC/processor 910 is attached or embedded. Alternatively, ADC/DAC/processor 910 is attached to or embedded within an extended portion of subassembly 150′ and dielectric portion 117 may not be extended.”).
Regarding claim 16, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein: each said antenna substrate further includes a ground plane proximate to or forming a part of the upper surface thereof (see Fig. 2B and 4, further see paragraph 0028, “ground plane 119”); andthe ground plane of a first antenna substrate of a first subassembly of the subassemblies is at least partially separated from the ground plane of a second antenna substrate of a second subassembly of the subassemblies adjacent to the first subassembly (see Fig. 2B, further see paragraph 0028, “ground plane 119”).
Regarding claim 19, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first molding material and the second molding material are composed of a same type of material (see paragraphs 0032 and 0040 where 185 and 152 are both types of dielectric materials, therefore under BRI this limitation is fulfilled).
Regarding claim 20, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus claim 1, wherein the first molding material is a different type of material than the second molding material (see paragraphs 0032 and 0040 where 185 and 152 are both different distinct material elements such as quartz and epoxy, respectfully, therefore under BRI this limitation is fulfilled).
Regarding claim 21, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus claim 1,wherein the at least one semiconductor component includes at least one amplifier chip (see amplifiers in Fig. 3B).
Regarding claim 22, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus of claim 21, wherein: the first molding material is disposed on side surfaces of the at least one amplifier chip and on peripheral portions of the upper surface of the at least one amplifier chip (see Fig. 4, molding material 152 around IC 160); a central portion of the upper surface of the at least one amplifier chip interfaces with air (see Fig. 4, air around IC 160); and the at least one amplifier chip includes an active circuit region directly behind the upper surface thereof (see Fig. 4, active circuit region 160).
Regarding claim 23, FRANSON further discloses
The antenna apparatus claim 1,wherein the at least one semiconductor component includes at least one phase shifter chip (see paragraph 0024, “In the receive direction, the RF front end may include low noise amplifiers, mixers, filters, switches and the like. If antenna array 122 is fed as a phased array, IC chips 160 may include phase shifters active in the transmit and/or receive paths for phasing antenna elements 120 with respect to each other, to thereby dynamically steer the antenna beam”).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRANSON et al. (US 20210005977 A1) in view of Marimuthu et al. (US 10636753 B2).
Regarding claim 8, FRANSON discloses [Note: what FRANSON fails to disclose is strike-through]
The antenna apparatus of claim 7,
Marimuthu discloses,
wherein the RDL includes fan out conductive traces that fan out from each of the at least one semiconductor component (see Col. 9, lines 3-8, “Portions 212A are conductive traces that operate as a redistribution layer (RDL) to fan-out and extend electrical connection from conductive layer 132 of semiconductor die 124 to conductive vias 174. Conductive traces 212A are used by semiconductor die 124 to transmit and receive digital and analog signals to and from other devices on PCB 52.”).
It would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art prior to the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features as disclosed by Marimuthu into the invention of FRANSON. Both references are considered analogous arts to the claimed invention as they both disclose a stacked antenna apparatus. The combination would be obvious with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide a smaller and more compact package.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRANSON et al. (US 20210005977 A1) in view of Rofougaran et al. (US 20110122037 A1).
Regarding claim 15, FRANSON discloses [Note: what FRANSON fails to disclose is strike-through]
The antenna apparatus of claim 13,
Rofougaran discloses,
wherein the at least one IC chip includes at least one of: (i) a downconverter to downconvert signals received from the at least one semiconductor component in a receive path (see paragraph 0046, “The receiver 423a may be enabled to receive, filter, amplify, down-convert, and/or perform analog to digital conversion. The RF receiver 423a may down convert a received RF signal. In this regard, the RF receiver 423a may perform direct down conversion of the received RF signal to a baseband or may convert the received RF signal to an intermediate frequency (IF). In various embodiments of the invention, the receiver 423a may perform quadrature down-conversion where in-phase components and quadrature phase components may be processed in parallel.”); and (ii) an upconverter to upconvert signals provided to the at least one semiconductor component in a transmit path (see paragraph 0049, “In various embodiments of the invention, the RF transmitter 423b may perform direct up conversion of the baseband signal to an RF signal. In some instances, the RF transmitter 423b may enable digital-to-analog conversion of the baseband signal components received from the digital baseband processor 429 before up conversion. In other instances, the RF transmitter 423b may receive baseband signal components in analog form”).
It would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art prior to the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features as disclosed by Rofougaran into the invention of FRANSON. Both references are considered analogous arts to the claimed invention as they both disclose a stacked antenna apparatus. The combination would be obvious with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide high frequency signals over shorter wavelengths and therefore allow for travail of the RF signals at farther distances.
Claim(s) 17 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRANSON et al. (US 20210005977 A1) in view of Franson et al. (US 7786944 B2).
Regarding claim 17, FRANSON discloses [Note: what FRANSON fails to disclose is strike-through]
The antenna apparatus claim 1, wherein:each said antenna substrate further includes a ground plane proximate to or forming a part of the upper surface thereof (see Figs. 1, 2B and 4, further see paragraph 0028, “ground plane 119”);
Franson discloses,
a first ground plane of a first antenna substrate of a first subassembly of the subassemblies is electrically connected to a second ground plane of a second antenna substrate of a second subassembly of the subassemblies adjacent to the first subassembly (see Fig. 5, where ground plane is electrically conducted to ground plane 256’).
It would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art prior to the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features as disclosed by Franson into the invention of FRANSON. Both references are considered analogous arts to the claimed invention as they both disclose a stacked antenna apparatus. The combination would be obvious with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide solution and coupling between radiating elements.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of FRANSON and Franson discloses [Note: what FRANSON fails to disclose is strike-through]
The antenna apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a combiner/divider including at least a portion between the first and second subassemblies (see paragraph 0024, “Hereafter, transmission line section 180 may be interchangeably referred to as combiner/divider network 180. In the transmit direction, combiner/divider network 180 functions as a divider that divides an RF transmit signal applied through transmission line 170 into a plurality of divided transmit signals, each applied to one of IC chips 160. In the receive direction, combiner/divider network 180 functions as a combiner that combines a plurality of receive signals each received by one or a group of antenna elements 120 and routed through (and typically modified by) an IC chip 160.”),
Franson discloses,
wherein the first ground plane is electrically connected to the second ground plane by conductive epoxy that adheres the combiner/divider to each of a first portion of the first ground plane and a second portion of the second ground plane (see Fig. 5, where ground plane is electrically conducted to ground plane 256’ and the layered portions are combined with an epoxy that adheres to the IC substrates).
It would have been obvious to someone with ordinary skill in the art prior to the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features as disclosed by Franson into the invention of FRANSON. Both references are considered analogous arts to the claimed invention as they both disclose a stacked antenna apparatus. The combination would be obvious with a reasonable expectation of success in order to provide solution and coupling between radiating elements.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAZRA N. WAHEED whose telephone number is (571)272-6713. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (8 AM - 4:30 PM).
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/NAZRA NUR WAHEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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