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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/13/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
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 features must be shown or the features canceled from the claims:
Claim 1 recites “the side parts of the dielectric case comprise inner surfaces and an outer surface corresponding to the inner surfaces”. Drawings do not show only one outer surface corresponding to the inner surfaces. Drawings show 2 outer surfaces 1023-1, 1024-1 (fig. 8A-8B) and another 2 outer surfaces without reference numbers (the surface of 1021 in contact with the metal frame 1010 and the bottom surface of 1022 in contact with external environment).
Similar objection would be applied to claims 5, 8 and 15.
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Claim 18 recites “wherein the multi-layered substrate is arranged to be spaced apart from the second inner surface which is a lower region of the dielectric case, the array antenna is configured to radiate a wireless signal in a frequency band between 57 GHz and 70 GHz, and a height from the particular layer of the multi-layered substrate on which the antenna elements are arranged to an upper end of the second inner surface is configured in a range of 0.08 λo to 0.9 λo”. Drawings show the first inner surface 1023a-1, fig. 8A is in the lower region of the dielectric case. Based on fig. 8A and para [220], the height h is from the multi-layered substrate to an upper end of the first inner surface 1023a-1, not the second inner surface.
Claim 19 recites “a distance between the second inner surface of the dielectric case and the multi- layered substrate is configured to have a value of 0.6 λo or less”. Para [227] stated the distance G1 have a value of 0.6 λo or less and G1 is the distance between the first inner surface 1023a-1, fig. 8 of the dielectric case and the multi- layered substrate, not the second inner surface.
No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because:
Reference characters "1023a-1", “1024a-1” and "1022b-1" have been used to designate for the first inner surface in fig. 8A-8B.
Reference characters "1023b-1", “1024b-1” and "1021a-1" have been used to designate for the second inner surface in fig. 8A-8B.
Reference characters "1023b", “1024b” and "1022b" have been used to designate for the first inner surface in fig. 8C-8D.
Reference characters "1023c", “1024c” and "1021a" have been used to designate for the second inner surface in fig. 8C-8D.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Para [175]: “Referring to FIG. 8C, the antenna module 1100-1 maybe arranged on one side of the dielectric case 1020 placed on a lower region of the metal frame 1010. The array antenna 1100a of the antenna module 1100-1 may radiate a wireless signal through an inner surface 1023a and an outer surface 1023b of the dielectric case 1020. Referring to FIG. 8D, the antenna module 1100-2 may be placed on another side of the dielectric case 1020 placed on a lower region of the metal frame 1010. The array antenna 1100b of the antenna module 1100-2 may radiate a wireless signal through an inner surface 1024a and an outer surface 1024b of the dielectric case 1020”. The reference numbers should be swapped to be consistent with fig. 8C-8D and the rest of the specification, for example para [194]-[197].
Para [220], [221]: “second inner surface 1023a-1,1024a-1, 1023b, or 1024b” should read “first inner surface 1023a-1,1024a-1, 1023b, or 1024”
Para [227]: “That is, a distance between the second inner surface 1023a-1, 1024a-1, 1023b, or 1024b of the dielectric case 1020-1or 1020 and the multi-layered substrate maybe configured to have a value of 0.6 λo or less” should read “That is, a distance between the first inner surface 1023a-1, 1024a-1, 1023b, or 1024b of the dielectric case 1020-1or 1020 and the multi-layered substrate maybe configured to have a value of 0.6 λo or less”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 13 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13 and 14: “a vertical axis” should read “the vertical axis”
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 2 and 9 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 2 recites the limitation "wherein the array antenna and the second inner surface of the dielectric case are spaced apart from each other by a third gap, the array antenna and the first inner surface of the dielectric case are spaced apart from each other by a fourth gap " in lines 1-4 which renders the claim indefinite. These first and second inner surfaces are different to the first and second inner surfaces recited in claim 1. Based on fig. 8A/8B, the first and second inner surfaces in claim 1 are 1023a-1/1024a-1 and 1023b-1/1024b-1 but the first and second inner surfaces recited in claim 2 are 1022b-1 and 1021a-1. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-8 and 10-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a metal frame constituting a side region of the electronic device; a dielectric case arranged at one side of the metal frame” and “wherein the dielectric case comprises a first side part attached to the metal frame”.
Regarding claim 8, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a metal frame constituting a side region of the electronic device; a dielectric case arranged at one side of the metal frame”, “wherein the dielectric case comprises a first side part attached to the metal frame” and “the outer surface is slantedly arranged with respect to a vertical axis”.
Jeon et al (US-20200303808-A1), Romano et al (US-20180090847-A1), Aoki et al (US-9680204-B2), Hill et al (US-9130265-B1) and Tsujimura et al (CN-102655260-A) are all cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a metal frame, a dielectric case, an array antenna arranged in a substrate placed in an inner region of the dielectric case, a second side part corresponding to the first side part, and a third side part and a fourth side part each arranged between the first side part and the second side part, the side parts of the dielectric case comprise inner surfaces and an outer surface corresponding to the inner surfaces, the inner surfaces comprise: a first inner surface facing and spaced apart, by a first gap, from a surface vertical to a longitudinal end of the array antenna and one surface among the third or fourth side part of the dielectric case; and a second inner surface facing and spaced apart, by a second gap, from the surface vertical to the longitudinal end of the array antenna and the one surface, the second gap is configured to be wider than the first gap, a first thickness between the first inner surface and the outer surface is configured to be greater than a second thickness between the second inner surface and the outer surface, and the array antenna is configured to radiate a wireless signal through the inner surfaces and the outer surface of the dielectric case.
However, the prior art of record, when taken alone or in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Claims 3-7 and 10-20 are considered allowable due to their respective dependencies.
Claims 2 and 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH N HO whose telephone number is (571)272-4657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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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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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ANH N HO/Examiner, Art Unit 2845