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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
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) 1, 5, 9-11, 15, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20200161766, made of record in IDS dated 02 June 2025), hereinafter known as Liu, in view of Han et al. (U.S. Patent Application No 20180358685, made of record in IDS dated 02 June 2025), hereinafter known as Han.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Liu teaches (Figs. 1-7) an antenna (11); a first printed circuit board (PCB) (12) including a first feeding structure (15) electrically connected with at least one antenna element ([0049]), and a first ground layer (bottom of 19 is grounded layer, [0056]); a second PCB (14) including a second feeding structure (13) spaced apart from the first feeding structure by an air gap (see Fig. 3); and a second ground layer (top of 19 is grounded layer, [0056]) spaced apart from the first ground layer by the air gap (see Fig. 3); and a plurality of conductive members (143) disposed between the first PCB and the second PCB (see Fig. 3), wherein a first conductive member of the plurality of conductive members electrically connects the first feeding structure and the second feeding structure such that a signal is transferred from the second feeding structure to the first feeding structure via the first conductive member ([0049]).
and a grid array (19, [0066], see Fig. 8) configured to couple a first surface of the first PCB and a first surface of the second PCB (see Fig. 7), wherein a size of the first PCB is smaller than a size of the second PCB (see Fig. 7, 12 is thinner than 14), and wherein a feeding line (143) configured to transfer a signal to the antenna is formed on at least one of a layer corresponding to the first surface of the first PCB or a layer corresponding to the first surface of the second PCB (see Figs. 2-7, multiple configurations shown).
Liu does not teach multiple antennas.
Han teaches (Figs. 1-11) a plurality of antenna elements (220); a first printed circuit board (PCB) (20), and a first ground layer (214); a second PCB (10) spaced apart from the first PCB by an air gap (see Fig. 1), and a second ground layer (connection on 10 for 240) spaced apart from the first ground layer by the air gap (see Fig. 1); and a plurality of conductive members (122).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to use multiple antennas as taught by Chang in the antenna apparatus of Liu since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to employ/use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, products) in the same way is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) Utilizing an antenna array provides increased control in directivity.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Han further teaches (Figs. 1-7) a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (16) disposed on the second PCB, wherein the signals is transmitted from the RFIC to the second feeding structure (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Han further teaches (Figs. 1-7) a third PCB, wherein a surface of the third PCB is coupled to a surface of the second PCB through a grid array.
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Han further teaches (Figs. 1-7) a radio frequency integrated circuit (16) (RFIC) mounted on the third PCB (see Fig. 3), wherein the signal is transferred from the RFIC to the at least one antenna element via the grid array, the second feeding structure, the first conductive member and the first feeding structure ([0049]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2-4, 6-8, 12-14, 16-18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kamgaing et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20160020165) teaches an antenna module.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MUNOZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1957. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/DANIEL MUNOZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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