DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 06/26/2025 and 02/09/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are 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 21-27 and 36-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by OH (KR 20150145733 A, see attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 21, OH teaches a phase shifter, comprising:
a phase shift assembly (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 7, a phase shifter 202) comprising a substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, a dielectric substrate 216), a rotating arm (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, an arm portion 224), a drive arm (Fig. 2, the arm portion opposite to 224 with respect to the central axis 222, Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, a central axis 222), and a drive assembly (Fig. 2, 226, 214, 212, 210), wherein an output line is disposed on the substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, at least one line 218 and 220), and the output line comprises an arc-shaped segment (Fig. 2, 218, 220);
wherein the rotating arm is rotatably connected to the substrate through a rotating shaft (Fig. 2, 222, page 3, para. 10, a central axis 222), a coupling line is disposed on the rotating arm, and the coupling line is electrically connected to the arc-shaped segment (page 3, para. 8, one or more lines 218 and 220 are electrically connected to radiation elements, RF signal input … the lines 218 and 220 formed on the lower surface of the arm portion 224);
wherein a first end of the drive arm is fastened to the rotating arm, and a second end extends to a side that is of the rotating shaft and that faces away from the output line (Fig. 4, 224, 218), and is in transmission connection to the drive assembly (Fig. 4, 214, 212);
wherein the drive assembly is configured to drive the drive arm to move, and the drive arm is configured to drive the rotating arm to rotate relative to the substrate (Fig. 4, 214, 212); and
wherein the phase shift assembly is configured in a manner that, in a process in which the rotating arm rotates relative to the substrate, the coupling line slides along the arc-shaped segment (Fig. 4, 218, 220, 224).
Regarding claim 22, all the limitations of claim 21 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein the rotating arm and the drive arm are an integrated structure (Fig. 4, 224).
Regarding claim 23, all the limitations of claim 21 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein the drive assembly comprises a power output end, the power output end is in transmission connection to the drive arm, the drive assembly drives the power output end to reciprocate along a first direction, and the power output end drives the drive arm to drive the rotating arm to rotate (Fig. 4, 214, 212, 224, page 5, para. 6 ~ para. 8).
Regarding claim 24, all the limitations of claim 23 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein the first direction is in a same plane as a symmetry axis of the arc-shaped segment, and is perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the arc-shaped segment (Fig. 4B, 224 vs. 212).
Regarding claim 25, all the limitations of claim 23 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein a guide trough extends along a length direction of the drive arm (Fig. 5C, 226, 504, page 6, para. 3 ~ para. 4); and wherein the power output end comprises a push shaft, and the push shaft is inserted into the guide trough, and is configured to be driven by the drive assembly to slide relative to the guide trough (Fig. 5C, 516, Fig. 5C, 226, 504, page 6, para. 3, screw 516).
Regarding claim 26, all the limitations of claim 23 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein the rotating shaft is located on a symmetry axis of the arc-shaped segment (Fig. 4B, 222, 218).
Regarding claim 27, all the limitations of claim 23 are taught by OH.
OH further teaches the phase shifter, wherein the phase shift assembly comprises an elastic crimping assembly, and the elastic crimping assembly is fastened to the rotating arm, and clamps the substrate and the rotating arm, to apply an abutting force toward the substrate to the rotating arm (Figs. 2 and 5, 228, page 6, para. 6).
Regarding claim 36, OH teaches an antenna, comprising:
a radiating element (page 4, para. 3, radiating elements); and
a phase shifter, wherein the radiating element is electrically connected to the phase shifter, and the phase shifter is configured to adjust a feeding phase of the radiating element (page 4, para. 3, radiating elements);
wherein the phase shifter comprises a phase shift assembly (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 7, a phase shifter 202) comprising a substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, a dielectric substrate 216), a rotating arm (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, an arm portion 224), a drive arm (Fig. 2, the arm portion opposite to 224 with respect to the central axis 222, Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, a central axis 222), and a drive assembly (Fig. 2, 226, 214, 212, 210), wherein an output line is disposed on the substrate (Fig. 2, page 3, para. 10, at least one line 218 and 220), and the output line comprises an arc-shaped segment (Fig. 2, 218, 220);
wherein the rotating arm is rotatably connected to the substrate through a rotating shaft (Fig. 2, 222, page 3, para. 10, a central axis 222), a coupling line is disposed on the rotating arm, and the coupling line is electrically connected to the arc-shaped segment (page 3, para. 8, one or more lines 218 and 220 are electrically connected to radiation elements, RF signal input … the lines 218 and 220 formed on the lower surface of the arm portion 224);
wherein a first end of the drive arm is fastened to the rotating arm, and a second end extends to a side that is of the rotating shaft and that faces away from the output line (Fig. 4, 224, 218), and is in transmission connection to the drive assembly (Fig. 4, 214, 212);
wherein the drive assembly is configured to drive the drive arm to move, and the drive arm is configured to drive the rotating arm to rotate relative to the substrate (Fig. 4, 214, 212); and
wherein the phase shift assembly is configured in a manner that, in a process in which the rotating arm rotates relative to the substrate, the coupling line slides along the arc-shaped segment (Fig. 4, 218, 220, 224).
Regarding claim 37, this claim has substantially the same subject matter as that in claim 22. Therefore, claim 37 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 22 above.
Regarding claim 38, this claim has substantially the same subject matter as that in claim 23. Therefore, claim 38 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 23 above.
Regarding claim 39, this claim has substantially the same subject matter as that in claim 24. Therefore, claim 39 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 24 above.
Regarding claim 40, this claim has substantially the same subject matter as that in claim 26. Therefore, claim 40 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 26 above.
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 of this title, 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 31-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OH (KR 20150145733 A, see attached machine translation) in view of Seong (WO 2018135831 A1, see attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 31, all the limitations of claim 21 are taught by OH.
OH does not explicitly teach the phase shifter, wherein two output lines are disposed on the substrate, the two output lines are respectively a first output line and a second output line, a circle center of an arc-shaped segment of the first output line coincides with a circle center of an arc-shaped segment of the second output line, the first output line is farther away from the rotating shaft than the second output line, and both the arc-shaped segment of the first output line and the arc-shaped segment of the second output line are electrically connected to the coupling line.
Seong teaches a phase shifter, wherein two output lines (Fig. 1, 104, 106) are disposed on the substrate (140), the two output lines are respectively a first output line and a second output line, a circle center (102b) of an arc-shaped segment of the first output line coincides with a circle center of an arc-shaped segment of the second output line, the first output line (106) is farther away from the rotating shaft than the second output line (104), and both the arc-shaped segment of the first output line and the arc-shaped segment of the second output line are electrically connected to the coupling line (Fig. 3, 120, Fig. 6, 120).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the teachings of Seong to the teachings of OH in order to support a plurality of radiation elements (Seong, page 6, para. 2) as well known in the art.
Regarding claim 32, all the limitations of claim 21 are taught by OH.
OH does not explicitly teach the phase shifter, further comprising a main feeder and a coupling part that are disposed on the substrate, wherein both the main feeder and the coupling part are located on a side of the output line that faces the rotating shaft, the main feeder is electrically connected to the coupling part, and an extension direction of the main feeder is parallel to the first direction.
Seong teaches a phase shifter, comprising a main feeder (Fig. 1, 102) and a coupling part (102a) that are disposed on the substrate (page 5, last paragraph, page 6, para. 1), wherein both the main feeder and the coupling part are located on a side of the output line that faces the rotating shaft, the main feeder is electrically connected to the coupling part, and an extension direction of the main feeder is parallel to the first direction (Fig. 1, 102, 104, 106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the teachings of Seong to the teachings of OH in order to support a plurality of radiation elements (Seong, page 6, para. 2) and as well known in the art.
Regarding claim 33, all the limitations of claim 32 are taught by OH in view of Seong.
Seong further teaches the phase shifter, further comprising a third output line disposed on the substrate, wherein the third output line is located on the side of the output line that faces the rotating shaft, and is electrically connected to the coupling part, and wherein an extension direction of the third output line is parallel to the first direction (Fig. 1, 104, 106).
Regarding claim 34, all the limitations of claim 21 are taught by OH.
OH does not explicitly teach the phase shifter, comprising a plurality of phase shift assemblies, and the plurality of phase shift assemblies are sequentially disposed along an axial direction of the rotating shaft.
Seong teaches a phase shifter, comprising a plurality of phase shift assemblies (Fig. 8, 400), and the plurality of phase shift assemblies are sequentially disposed along an axial direction of the rotating shaft (Fig. 8, 100, 200).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the teachings of Seong to the teachings of OH in order to support a plurality of radiation elements (Seong, page 6, para. 2) and as well known in the art.
Claim 35 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OH (KR 20150145733 A, see attached machine translation) in view of Seong (WO 2018135831 A1, see attached machine translation) as applied to claim 34 above, and further in view of Huangfu (US 11,201,402 B1).
Regarding claim 35, all the limitations of claim 34 are taught by OH.
OH in view of Seong does not explicitly teach the phase shifter, wherein the phase shift assembly comprises a shielding panel, the substrate is fastened to the shielding panel, and the rotating arm is located on a side of the substrate that faces away from the shielding panel.
Huangfu teaches a phase shifter, wherein the phase shift assembly comprises a shielding panel, the substrate is fastened to the shielding panel, and the rotating arm is located on a side of the substrate that faces away from the shielding panel (Fig. 8, col. 8, para. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the teachings of Huangfu to the teachings of OH in view of Seong in order to ensure the radio frequency performance of the phase shifter (Huangfu, col. 8, para. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 28-30 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 28, the prior arts fail to teach or reasonably suggest a phase shifter, wherein the elastic crimping assembly comprises a crimping body, a crimping foot group, and a transition connecting part, wherein the crimping foot group is located on a side of the substrate that faces away from the rotating arm, and abuts against and is slidably connected to a surface of the substrate that faces away from the rotating arm; wherein the crimping body is fastened to a side of the rotating arm that faces away from the substrate, and an elastic crimping part is configured to press the rotating arm toward the substrate; and wherein the transition connecting part connects the crimping body and the crimping foot group, in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Regarding claims 29 and 30, the claims 29 and 30 are objected to due to their dependencies to claim 28 above.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xu (US 20200373663 A1) see Figure 3 teaches the inventive concept of the application.
Pan (CN 111585025 A) see Figs. 1, 10, 11, teaches the inventive concept of the application.
Conclusion
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/SEOKJIN KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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