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 .
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 1-20 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the antenna apparatus" in the 7th and 8th lines. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Dependent claims 2-14 are likewise rejected.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the communication device" in the 11th line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Dependent claims 2-14 are likewise rejected.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the antenna apparatus" in the 3rd and 4th lines. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation “the third cavity is air” however, it is unclear how the third cavity is a “cavity” if it is air and not enclosed by walls like the first and second cavities. Thus, the claim is indefinite.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “wherein the signal line comprises a first signal line, a second signal line, and a third signal line”, however, the claim already introduced a first signal line and a second signal line, therefore it is unclear if they are the same signal lines or different ones. Thus, the claim is indefinite. Dependent claims 16-20 are likewise rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-16 & 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. CN Patent Application Publication CN 114976536A (cited by applicant, see attached machine translation for cited references).
Regarding Claim 1, Wang et al. teaches a feeding apparatus (Figs. 1-5), comprising
a first cavity (first 121 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4),
a second cavity (second 121 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4),
a third cavity (122 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4), and
a signal line, wherein the signal line comprises a first signal line (150 for first 121 Fig. 2 P. 4), a second signal line (150 for second 121 Fig. 2 P. 4), and a third signal line (160 Fig. 2 P. 4), the first signal line is configured to connect to a first radiating element group of the antenna apparatus (antenna array P. 8), and the second signal line is configured to connect to a second radiating element group of the antenna apparatus (antenna array P. 8); and
the first signal line is located in the first cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the second signal line is located in the second cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the third signal line is located in the third cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the third signal line is configured to electrically connect to a radio frequency apparatus of the communication device (mobile communication P. 2), and the third signal line is electrically connected to the first signal line and the second signal line separately (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5).
Regarding Claim 2, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first signal line has a first end, the first end is configured to connect to the first radiating element group, the second signal line has a second end, the second end is configured to connect to the second radiating element group, and a length of the signal line between the first end and a first connection point is equal to a length of the signal line between the second end and the first connection point (Figs. 2, 5).
Regarding Claim 4, Wang et al. teaches further comprising a phase shift component (151 Fig. 3 P. 5), wherein the first signal line and the second signal line are separately coupled to the phase shift component (Fig. 3 P. 5).
Regarding Claim 5, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged in a first direction, the third cavity is located on one side of the first cavity and the second cavity in a second direction, the first cavity and the second cavity extend in a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity extend in the third direction, the first signal line extends in the third direction in the first cavity, and the second signal line extends in the third direction in the second cavity (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 7, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first radiating element group comprises at least two radiating elements (implied from antenna array P. 8), and the second radiating element group comprises at least two radiating elements (implied from antenna array P. 8).
Regarding Claim 8, Wang et al. teaches further comprising an input line (branch of combining unit that combines the signal of the phase shifters Fig. 4), wherein one end of the input line is connected to the third signal line, and the other end is configured to electrically connect to the radio frequency apparatus (Fig. 4).
Regarding Claim 9, Wang et al. teaches wherein the input line is located at an end portion of the first cavity (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 10, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity extend in the third direction, and a length of the first cavity in the third direction is the same as a length of the second cavity in the third direction (Figs. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 11, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity each are enclosed by metal walls (Figs. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 12, Wang et al. teaches wherein a length of the third cavity in the third direction is less than the length of the first cavity in the third direction, and the length of the third cavity in the third direction is less than the length of the second cavity in the third direction (Figs. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 13, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity are integrally formed (Figs. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 14, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity and the second cavity each are enclosed by metal walls (Figs. 1, 2), the third cavity is air (Figs. 1, 2), and the third signal line is formed on outer surfaces of the first cavity and the second cavity (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 15, Wang et al. teaches an antenna apparatus (Figs. 1-5), comprising
a feeding apparatus (Figs. 1-5),
a first radiating element group (antenna array P. 8); and
a second radiating element group (antenna array P. 8), wherein the first radiating element group is connected to a first signal line (150 for first 121 Fig. 2 P. 4), and the second radiating element group is connected to a second signal line (150 for second 121 Fig. 2 P. 4);
wherein the feeding apparatus comprises a first cavity (first 121 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4), a second cavity (second 121 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4), a third cavity (122 Figs. 1, 2 P. 4), and a signal line, wherein the signal line comprises a first signal line (150 for first 121 Fig. 2 P. 4), a second signal line (150 for second 121 Fig. 2 P. 4), and a third signal line (160 Fig. 2 P. 4), the first signal line is configured to connect to a first radiating element group of the antenna apparatus (antenna array P. 8), and the second signal line is configured to connect to a second radiating element group of the antenna apparatus (antenna array P. 8); and
the first signal line is located in the first cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the second signal line is located in the second cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the third signal line is located in the third cavity (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5), the third signal line is configured to electrically connect to a radio frequency apparatus of the communication device (mobile communication P. 2), and the third signal line is electrically connected to the first signal line and the second signal line separately (Fig. 2 P. 4, 5).
Regarding Claim 16, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first signal line has a first end, the first end is configured to connect to the first radiating element group, the second signal line has a second end, the second end is configured to connect to the second radiating element group, and a length of the signal line between the first end and a first connection point is equal to a length of the signal line between the second end and the first connection point (Figs. 2, 5).
Regarding Claim 18, Wang et al. teaches further comprising a phase shift component (151 Fig. 3 P. 5), wherein the first signal line and the second signal line are separately coupled to the phase shift component (Fig. 3 P. 5).
Regarding Claim 19, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged in a first direction, the third cavity is located on one side of the first cavity and the second cavity in a second direction, the first cavity and the second cavity extend in a third direction, and the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 20, Wang et al. teaches wherein the first cavity, the second cavity, and the third cavity extend in the third direction, the first signal line extends in the third direction in the first cavity, and the second signal line extends in the third direction in the second cavity (Fig. 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 & 17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding Claim 3, the prior art of record, when taken alone or in combination, does not fairly teach nor render obvious the limitations “wherein the third signal line is connected to the radio frequency apparatus at the first connection point, the third signal line is connected to the first signal line at a second connection point, the third signal line is connected to the second signal line at a third connection point, and a length of the third signal line between the first connection point and the second connection point is greater than a length of the third signal line between the first connection point and the third connection point” as required by the claim.
Regarding Claim 17, the prior art of record, when taken alone or in combination, does not fairly teach nor render obvious the limitations “wherein the third signal line is connected to the radio frequency apparatus at the first connection point, the third signal line is connected to the first signal line at a second connection point, the third signal line is connected to the second signal line at a third connection point, and a length of the third signal line between the first connection point and the second connection point is greater than a length of the third signal line between the first connection point and the third connection point.” as required by the claim.
Conclusion
The cited art in PTO-892 was found during the examiner's search, but was not relied upon for this office action. However it is still considered pertinent to the applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL M BOUIZZA whose telephone number is (571)272-6124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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/MICHAEL M BOUIZZA/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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