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 (IDS) submitted on July 1, 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 § 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 1-18 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: In line 5, the limitation “a second ground conductor layer” renders the scope of the claim indefinite. It is unclear if the claim is limited to only one second ground conductor layer, or if the claim can include embodiments with multiple second ground conductor layers, as shown in the drawings, e.g. figure 1. For examination purposes, the limitation is interpreted as “at least one second ground conductor layer.”
Claim 1: In lines 14 and 15, the limitation “extends in the negative direction of the Z-axis from the radiation conductor layer” renders the scope of the claim indefinite, as the usage of the term “extends” to describe the invention conflicts with what is disclosed by the other portions of the specifications. For examination purposes, the limitation is interpreted as “located in the negative direction of the Z-axis from the radiation conductor layer.”
Claim 1: In lines 18-20, the limitation “extends in a positive direction of the Z-axis from the first ground conductor layer” renders the scope of the claim indefinite, as the usage of the term “extends” to describe the invention conflicts with what is disclosed by the other portions of the specifications. For examination purposes, the limitation is interpreted as “located in a positive direction of the Z-axis from the first ground conductor layer.”
Claim 1: In lines 28 and 29, the limitation “extends in the negative direction of the Z-axis from the second ground conductor layer” renders the scope of the claim indefinite, as the usage of the term “extends” to describe the invention conflicts with what is disclosed by the other portions of the specifications. For examination purposes, the limitation is interpreted as “located in the negative direction of the Z-axis from the second ground conductor layer.”
Claims 2-18 include the same issues due to their dependency on claim 1, and are rejected for the same reasons.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
TAKAYAMA et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2021/0328350) and ONAKA et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2020/0220270) disclose multilayer substrates comprising a patch antenna with microstrip feed line comprising open stubs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT KARACSONY whose telephone number is (571)270-1268. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Robert Karacsony/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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