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 4/29/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-10, 12, 14, 16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jiang et al., (US 2020/0243956), hereinafter Jiang.
Regarding claim 1 Jiang discloses an integrated 3-dimensional radio-frequency (RF) antenna, comprising: a molded substrate (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 702) having a front side surface, a back side surface, and at least one cavity (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 908) extending completely from the front side surface to the back side surface, the at least one cavity defining cavity walls in the molded substrate with a horizontal profile of a cross-section of the at least one cavity vertically decreasing from the front side surface towards the back side surface (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910); a shield layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910) covering at least the front side surface and the cavity walls of the molded substrate; and a radiator layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502) including an active side, a portion of the active side that emits RF waves or receives RF waves being exposed to the at least one cavity of the molded structure.
PNG
media_image1.png
311
464
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the cavity walls comprise a smooth, non-stepped surface (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910).
Regarding claim 3 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 further comprising a reflector layer configured to reflect the RF waves for redirecting RF energy (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 504).
Regarding claim 4 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 wherein a portion of the radiator layer that is not exposed to the cavity in the molded structure is directly attached to the back side surface of the molded structure (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502).
Regarding claim 5 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the RF antenna has a multi-layer structure (e.g., Fig. 9D, shows a multi-layer structure) including at least one of at least one isolation layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 102) that is made of electrically isolating material, a shield layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910), a molded substrate (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502), a radiator layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502), a reflector layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502), at least one ground layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502), or at least one routing layer.
Regarding claim 6 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 5 wherein at least one isolation layer is arranged between the radiator layer and the reflector layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 102).
Regarding claim 7 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 6 wherein the reflector layer is the ground layer and includes at least one cavity acting as a reflector (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 504; see also paragraph 0065).
Regarding claim 8 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 5 wherein the shield layer is made of an electromagnetic interference (EMI) isolating material (e.g., paragraph 0065).
Regarding claim 9 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 5 wherein the shield layer is a conformal shield layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, shows a conformal shield layer).
Regarding claim 10 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 5 further comprising at least one electrical connection between the shield layer and the ground layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502).
Regarding claim 12 Jiang further discloses the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the portion of the active side of the radiator layer that emits or receives RF waves has a shape of at least one of a dipole, a folded dipole, or a planar rectangular (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502), circular, or triangular patch.
Regarding claim 14 Jiang discloses a radio-frequency (RF) module (e.g., abstract), comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 102; paragraph 0024); and at least one antenna-in-package (AiP) component (e.g., abstract) arranged on or attached to the PCB, the AiP component including at least one integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna (e.g., abstract), the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna including a molded substrate (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 908) having a front side surface, a back side surface, and at least one cavity (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 908) extending completely from the front side surface to the back side surface, the at least one cavity defining cavity walls in the molded substrate with a horizontal profile of a cross-section of the at least one cavity vertically decreasing from the front side surface towards the back side surface (e.g., Fig. 9D shows this feature), a shield layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910) covering at least the front side surface and the cavity walls of the molded substrate, and a radiator layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502) including an active side, a portion of the active side that emits RF waves or receives RF waves being exposed to the at least one cavity of the molded structure (e.g., Fig. 9D shows this feature).
Regarding claim 16 Jiang further discloses the RF module of claim 14 wherein the at least one AiP component includes one of a one-dimensional (e.g., paragraph 0026), two-dimensional, or three-dimensional antenna array.
Regarding claim 18 Jiang discloses a wireless radio-frequency (RF) based communication device (e.g., abstract), comprising: a housing (e.g., Fig. 2A, at 202) with a printed circuit board (PCB) (e.g., paragraph 0024); at least one processing unit (e.g., paragraph 0026) which is configured to process received or to be transmitted communication information; and an RF module (e.g., paragraph 0026) arranged in the housing, the RF module including at least one antenna-in-package (AiP) component (e.g., paragraph 0026) arranged on or attached to the PCB, the at least one AiP component including at least one integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna, the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna including a molded substrate (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 702) having a front side surface, a back side surface, and at least one cavity (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 908) extending completely from the front side surface to the back side surface, the at least one cavity defining cavity walls in the molded substrate with a horizontal profile of a cross-section of the at least one cavity vertically decreasing from the front side surface towards the back side surface (e.g., Fig. 9D shows this feature), a shield layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 910) covering at least the front side surface and the cavity walls of the molded substrate, and a radiator layer (e.g., Fig. 9D, at 502) including an active side, a portion of the active side that emits RF waves or receives RF waves being exposed to the at least one cavity of the molded structure (e.g., Fig. 9D shows this feature).
Regarding claim 19 Jiang further discloses the wireless RF-based communication device of claim 18 further comprising at least one screen (e.g., paragraph 0082) arranged within an opening of the housing.
Regarding claim 20 Jiang further discloses the wireless RF-based communication device of claim 18 wherein the at least one processing unit includes at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), at least one memory, or a motherboard (e.g., paragraph 0026).
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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Jiang in view of Hsu (US 2018/0342471), hereinafter Hsu.
Regarding claim 11 Jiang does not disclose the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 5 wherein the shield layer and the ground layer are connected via capacitive coupling.
Wang discloses wherein the shield layer and the ground layer are connected via capacitive coupling (e.g., paragraph 0063; Fig. 8 also shows this feature).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the antenna disclosed by Jiang in accordance with the teaching of Wang regarding wherein the shield layer and the ground layer are connected via capacitive coupling in order to increase the bandwidth of the antenna.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Jiang in view of Hsu (US 2018/0342471), hereinafter Hsu.
Regarding claim 13 Jiang does not disclose the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna of claim 1 wherein the RF antenna is a horn antenna.
Hsu discloses wherein the RF antenna is a horn antenna (e.g., paragraph 0043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the antenna disclosed by Jiang in accordance with the teaching of Hsu regarding the use of a horn antenna with an antenna in package structure in order to increase the gain of the antenna (Hsu, paragraph 0002).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Jiang in view of Lu (US 2020/0287271), hereinafter Lu.
Regarding claim 15 Jiang does not disclose the RF module of claim 14 further comprising at least one integrated circuit arranged within the molded substrate of the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna and including at least one of a transceiver, a logic control network, a switching network, or at least one signal processor component.
Lu discloses at least one integrated circuit arranged within the molded substrate of the integrated 3-dimensional RF antenna and including at least one of a transceiver, a logic control network, a switching network, or at least one signal processor component. (e.g., paragraph 0036).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the antenna disclosed by Jiang in accordance with the teaching of Lu regarding the use of a signal processor component within the molded substrate in order to provide an efficiency product antenna (Lu, paragraph 0034).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang.
Regarding claim 17 Jiang does not explicitly disclose the RF module of claim 16 wherein the at least one AiP component is a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system.
Jiang implicitly discloses the RF module of claim 16 wherein the at least one AiP component is a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system (e.g., paragraph 0026).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the antenna disclosed by Jiang in accordance with the teaching of Jiang regarding the use of a MIMO system in order to provide spatial multiplexing and diversity in order to improve reliability and range.
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E LOTTER whose telephone number is (571)270-7422. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
DAVID E. LOTTER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
/DAVID E LOTTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights