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, claim 2 reciting “a plurality of other elements disposed substantially symmetrically” and “a notch is provided at a distal end portion of at least one element of the plurality of other elements” 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 1-2 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 1 reciting “an antenna device” to merely include “a plurality of antenna elements” and “a notch” is indefinite, since it’s unclear how such an antenna device is obtained absent any radiating element, feed element, housing and substrate/PCB.
Claims 1 and 2 respectively reciting “substantially symmetrically” are indefinite, since it’s NOT understood what the difference is between “symmetrical” elements and “substantially symmetrical” elements.
Claim 2 reciting “a notch” is indefinite, since it’s unclear whether this limitation of related (or in addition) to “a notch” recited in claim 1.
In view of the aforementioned, scope of claims 1 and 2 cannot be ascertained.
There should be a clear recitation of interrelated structure in order to provide a complete and operable antenna device.
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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Svensson” (US 20170331199).
Claim 1: As best understood Svensson discloses an antenna device comprising:
a plurality of elements 11-12 (Fig. 1) disposed substantially symmetrically,
wherein a notch 17 (¶ 34) is provided at a distal end portion of at least one element of the plurality of elements.
Claim 2: As best understood, Svensson teaches the antenna device according to Claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of other elements 13-14 (Figs. 1-2) disposed substantially symmetrically, at least a part 13 of the plurality of other elements overlapping at least a part of the plurality of elements (see Fig. 2),
wherein a notch 20 is provided at a distal end portion of at least one element 13 of the plurality of other elements (see Fig. 2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lambert (US 20130214980)
Wong (US 7692599)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HASAN ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1719. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 9AM-7PM EST.
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, DAMEON LEVI can be reached at (571)272-2105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HASAN ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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