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 .
Remarks
The Office has cited particular columns, line numbers, paragraph numbers, references, or figures in the references applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses to fully consider the reference in entirety, as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2141.02 and § 2123.
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 14, 18, and 20 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 14, line 3, “the m second mounting plates” lacks antecedent basis. Therefore, claim 14 should depend on claim 13 instead of claim 12.
Regarding claim 18, the preamble recites “The antenna according to claim 17” but claim 17 is a communication device. It should be changed to “The communication device according to claim 17”.
Regarding claim 20, the preamble recites “The antenna according to claim 19” but claim 19 is a communication device. It should be changed to “The communication device according to claim 19”.
For the purpose of expediting prosecution on the merits of the claims, the examiner has attempted to construe the claims to the extent possible for the following art rejection.
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, 5, 7-12, 15, 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bisiules et al. (US 2022/0285827 A1, hereinafter referred to as Bisiules).
Regarding claim 1, Bisiules discloses an antenna, comprising:
a radome (110, Fig. 3; "A base station antenna, comprising: a radome," Claim 1; Abstract, ) and
a first stepped reflection panel (stepped reflector 614) disposed in the radome ("an antenna assembly that is mounted within the radome, the antenna assembly including: a first reflector; ... a second reflector that is separate from the first reflector and mounted on the first reflector, the second reflector extending forwardly from the first reflector," Claim l; "The backplane 610 includes .. . a stepped reflector 614," description of FIG. 5 embodiment; "The steps 620, 622, 624 may be connected by sidewalls 626")
wherein the first stepped reflection panel comprises n first mounting plates, and wherein n is an integer and n > 1 (620, 622, 624 are at least two distinct mounting surfaces, Fig. 5);
wherein each first mounting plate of the n first mounting plates has a first surface and a second surface that faces away from the first surface (each step has a front mounting/reflecting surface and a rear surface; "first planar surface of the first reflector" and "second planar surface" of the second reflector, Claim 11, para 0007)
and further has a first radiating element disposed on the first surface ("a first array that includes a plurality of first radiating elements that are mounted to extend forwardly from the first reflector" and "a second array ... mounted to extend forwardly from the second reflector," Claim 1; elements 300/400/500 on steps 620/622/624, Fig. 5); and
wherein an (i-1)th first mounting plate of the n first mounting plates is disposed adjacent to a second surface of an ith first mounting plate of the n first mounting plates, wherein the (i-i)th first mounting plate is connected to the ith first mounting plate by a first connecting piece (626, Fig. 5), and wherein i is an integer and 1 < i ≤n ("The steps 620, 622, 624 may be connected by sidewalls 626”, para 0052, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, Bisiules discloses the antenna according to claim 1, wherein the n first mounting plates are disposed in parallel to each other (“the first front surface may be parallel to the second front surface.”, para [0011]; “a third front surface that is parallel to the second front surface’, para [0014]).
Regarding claim 7, Bisiules discloses the first radiating element comprises a first-type radiating element and a second-type radiating element, and wherein a radiation frequency of the first-type radiating element is different from a radiation frequency of the second-type radiating element (“the first radiating elements may be configured to operate in a first frequency band and the second radiating elements may be configured to operate in a second frequency band that is higher in frequency than the first frequency band”, para [0012]; "low-band radiating elements 300… mid-band radiating elements 400, and ... high-band radiating elements 500" mounted on different steps of stepped reflector 614, para [0052]; different frequency bands, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 8, Bisiules discloses wherein the first-type radiating element (e.g., low-band 300) is disposed on a first surface of the (i-1)th first mounting plate, and wherein the second-type radiating element (e.g., high-band 500) is disposed on a first surface of the ith first mounting plate (low-band 300 on steps 620 and mid/high-band 400/500 on adjacent steps 622/624, FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Bisiules discloses the first connecting piece is a connecting plate disposed at an included angle with the first mounting plate (sidewalls 626 / sidewalls 254 join adjacent step surfaces; a sidewall of a stepped sheet-metal backplane meets each step at an angle, typically about 90°, Figs. 3, 5).
Regarding claim 10, Bisiules discloses wherein the first mounting plate and the connecting plate are of an integrally formed structure ("The backplane 610 may be formed by bending a unitary piece of sheet metal”, para [0052]).
Regarding claim 11, Bisiules discloses wherein the n first mounting plates are evenly spaced along a direction perpendicular to the first mounting plate (Figs. 2, 5).
Regarding claim 12, Bisiules discloses all the features and limitations as claim 1 discussed above and further disclose a communication device comprising a mounting bracket and an antenna disposed on the mounting bracket (FIG. 1, mounting brackets 150 used to mount antenna 100 onto an antenna mount/tower, para [0041]).
Regarding claim 15, Bisiules discloses the antenna according to claim 1, wherein the n first mounting plates are parallel to each other (“the first front surface may be parallel to the second front surface.”, para [0011]; “a third front surface that is parallel to the second front surface’, para [0014]).
Regarding claim 17, Bisiules discloses the first radiating element comprises a first-type radiating element and a second-type radiating element, and wherein a radiation frequency of the first-type radiating element is different from a radiation frequency of the second-type radiating element (“the first radiating elements may be configured to operate in a first frequency band and the second radiating elements may be configured to operate in a second frequency band that is higher in frequency than the first frequency band”, para [0012]; "low-band radiating elements 300… mid-band radiating elements 400, and ... high-band radiating elements 500" mounted on different steps of stepped reflector 614, para [0052]; different frequency bands, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 18, Bisiules discloses wherein the first-type radiating element is disposed on a first surface of the (i-1)th first mounting plate, and wherein the second-type radiating element is disposed on a first surface of the ith first mounting plate (low-band 300 on steps 620 and mid/high-band 400/500 on adjacent steps 622/624, FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 19, Bisiules discloses the first connecting piece is a connecting plate, and wherein the connecting plate is disposed at an included angle with the first mounting plate (sidewalls 626 / sidewalls 254 join adjacent step surfaces; a sidewall of a stepped sheet-metal backplane meets each step at an angle, typically about 90°, Figs. 3, 5).
Regarding claim 20, Bisiules discloses wherein the first mounting plate and the connecting plate are of an integrally formed structure ("The backplane 610 may be formed by bending a unitary piece of sheet metal”, para [0052]).
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(s) 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bisiules in view of Goettle et al. (DE 10359623 A1, hereinafter referred to as Goettle).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Bisiules discloses all the features and limitations as discussed above but does not disclose wherein the radome is a cylindrical radome.
Goettle discloses wherein the radome is a cylindrical radome (“a hollow cylindrical radome 3”, para 8 on page 6, Goettle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form Bisiules’ radome 110 as Goettle's hollow cylindrical radome 3 so that the stepped reflector 614 and radiating elements 300/400/500 remain weather protected in the standard base station housing already used to enclose a reflector and radiators on a mast (“radome includes, which protects the electrical parts of the antenna device from environmental influences.”, para 7 on page 4, Goettle).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 13, and 14 are 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 and 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. BEAUSANG (US 20120280881 A1) discloses a reflector and a multi band antenna. Hou et al. (US 20210305717 A1) discloses base station antennas having an active antenna module and related devices and methods.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL D CHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1801. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL D CHANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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