UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/867,268
`
`01/10/2018
`
`JUNJI SATO
`
`731156674
`
`9184
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panason1e
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`DAWKINS' COLLIN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2845
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`05/06/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`US PTOeACtion @ SeedIP .Com
`
`pairlinkdktg @ seedip .eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/867,268
`Examiner
`COLLIN DAWKINS
`
`Applicant(s)
`SATO, JUNJI
`Art Unit
`2845
`
`AIA (FITF) Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 1/10/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
`
`1—10 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
`
`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 1/10/2018 is/are: a). accepted or b)E] objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a). All
`
`b)D Some**
`
`C)D None of the:
`
`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date 01/10/2018 and 09/06/2018
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190417
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 2
`
`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.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1.
`
`This Office Action is response to Applicant’s communication filed on 01/10/2018.
`
`In virtue of this communication, claims 1-10 are currently presented in the instant
`
`application.
`
`Priority
`
`2.
`
`Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which
`
`papers have been placed of record in the file.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`3.
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/10/2018 and
`
`09/06/2018 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the
`
`information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. A marked up
`
`copy of form PTO/SB/08a is attached to this action as requested by the applicant.
`
`4.
`
`The drawing submitted on 01/10/2018 is accepted as part of the formal applicant.
`
`Drawings
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 3
`
`Specification
`
`5.
`
`The specification is accepted as part of the formal application. Applicant
`
`cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware
`
`in the specification.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`6.
`
`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.
`
`7.
`
`Claim 1-4, 6 and 8-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Garcia et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0056544 A1) in view of Tran et al. (U.S. Pub. No.
`
`2014/0327588 A1 ).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Garcia et al. (‘544) teaches a module (paragraph [0004])
`
`comprising: a dielectric substrate (fig.2A, ref.220); one or more electric coupling
`
`antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211) that are formed in one or more conductive
`
`layers (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.211) included in the dielectric substrate and
`
`that have an electric field direction of an electromagnetic wave to be radiated by
`
`the one or more electric coupling antenna elements; and one or more magnetic
`
`coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) that are formed in the one or more
`
`conductive layers (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.222) and that have a shape
`
`elongated in a magnetic field direction of the electromagnetic wave to be radiated
`
`by the one or more electric coupling antenna elements (paragraph [0038-0041]).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 4
`
`However Garcia et al. (‘544) fails to explicitly teach about one or more electric
`
`coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated.
`
`Tran et al. (‘588) teaches one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2,
`
`210) have a shape elongated (paragraph [0034-0038]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) with one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated, as suggested by
`
`Tran et al. (‘588), for the purpose of improving the antenna characteristics by
`
`providing an omni-directional signal coverage in both polarized planes.
`
`Regarding claim 2, The combination teaching of Garcia et al. (‘544) and Tran et
`
`al. (‘588) disclose all the claimed limitations set forth including Garcia et al.
`
`(‘544) disclosing the one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A,
`
`ref.211) are transmitting antennas, and wherein the one or more magnetic
`
`coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) are receiving antennas (paragraph
`
`[0038-0041]).
`
`Regarding claim 3, Garcia et al. (‘544) fails to explicitly teach about a
`
`longitudinal direction of the one or more electric coupling antenna elements and
`
`a longitudinal direction of the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements
`
`are perpendicular to each other.
`
`However Tran et al. (‘588) teaches a longitudinal direction of the one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2, ref.210) and a longitudinal direction of
`
`the one or more magnetic coupling antenna (fig.2, ref.220) elements are
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 5
`
`perpendicular to each other (paragraph [0034-0038] antenna elements are
`
`orthogonal to each other).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the combination teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) with a
`
`longitudinal direction of the one or more electric coupling antenna elements and
`
`a longitudinal direction of the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements
`
`are perpendicular to each other of Tran et al. (‘588) for the purpose of improving
`
`the antenna characteristics by providing an omni-directional signal coverage in
`
`both polarized planes.
`
`Regarding claim 4, Garcia et al. (‘544) fails to explicitly teach about the one or
`
`more electric coupling antenna elements are dipole antennas, and wherein the
`
`one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements are slot antennas.
`
`However Tran et al. (‘588) teaches the one or more electric coupling antenna
`
`(fig.2, ref.210) elements are dipole antennas, and wherein the one or more
`
`magnetic coupling antenna (fig.2, ref.220) elements are slot antennas (paragraph
`
`[0034-0038]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the combination teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) with
`
`the one or more electric coupling antenna elements are dipole antennas, and
`
`wherein the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements are slot antennas
`
`of Tran et al. (‘588) for the purpose of improving the antenna characteristics by
`
`providing an omni-directional signal coverage in both polarized planes.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 6
`
`Regarding claim 6, The combination teaching of Garcia et al. (‘544) and Tran et
`
`al. (‘588) disclose all the claimed limitations set forth including Garcia et al.
`
`(‘544) disclosing the dielectric substrate is a multilayer substrate including at
`
`least a first layer (fig.2B, ref.210) and a second layer (fig.2B, ref.220), and
`
`wherein the one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211) are
`
`formed in a conductive layer (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.211) on the first layer,
`
`and the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) are
`
`formed in a conductive layer (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.222) on the second
`
`layer (paragraph [0038-0041]).
`
`Regarding claim 8, The combination teaching of Garcia et al. (‘544) and Tran et
`
`al. (‘588) disclose all the claimed limitations set forth including Garcia et al.
`
`(‘544) disclosing a semiconductor chip (fig.28, ref.230) that is connected to each
`
`of the one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211) and each
`
`of the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) and that
`
`processes a radio-frequency signal (paragraph [0038-0041]).
`
`Regarding claim 9, Garcia et al. (‘544) teaches a wireless communication
`
`apparatus (paragraph [0004]) comprising: one or more electric coupling antenna
`
`elements (fig.2A, ref.21 1) that are formed in one or more conductive layers
`
`(conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.211) included in a dielectric substrate (fig.2A,
`
`ref.220) and that have an electric field direction of an electromagnetic wave to be
`
`radiated by the one or more electric coupling antenna elements; one or more
`
`magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) that are formed in the one
`
`or more conductive layers (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.222) and that have a
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 7
`
`shape elongated in a magnetic field direction of the electromagnetic wave to be
`
`radiated by the one or more electric coupling antenna elements; and a
`
`semiconductor chip (fig.2A, ref.230) that is connected to each of the one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211) and each of the one or more
`
`magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.222) and that processes a radio-
`
`frequency signal (paragraph [0038-0041]).
`
`However Garcia et al. (‘544) fails to explicitly teach about one or more electric
`
`coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated.
`
`Tran et al. (‘588) teaches one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2,
`
`210) have a shape elongated (paragraph [0034-0038]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) with one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated, as suggested by
`
`Tran et al. (‘588), for the purpose of improving the antenna characteristics by
`
`providing an omni-directional signal coverage in both polarized planes.
`
`Regarding claim 10, Garcia et al. (‘544) teaches a radar communication
`
`apparatus (paragraph [0004] using millimeter waves) comprising: one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211) that are formed in one or
`
`more conductive layers (conductive layer of fig.2A, ref.211) included in a
`
`dielectric substrate (fig.2A, ref.220) and that have an electric field direction of an
`
`electromagnetic wave to be radiated by the one or more electric coupling
`
`antenna elements; one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A,
`
`ref.222) that are formed in the one or more conductive layers (conductive layer of
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 8
`
`fig.2A, ref.222) and that have a shape elongated in a magnetic field direction of
`
`the electromagnetic wave to be radiated by the one or more electric coupling
`
`antenna elements; and a semiconductor chip (fig.2A, ref.230) that is connected
`
`to each of the one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2A, ref.211)
`
`and each of the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements (fig.2A,
`
`ref.222) and that processes a radio-frequency signal (paragraph [0038-0041]).
`
`However Garcia et al. (‘544) fails to explicitly teach about one or more electric
`
`coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated.
`
`Tran et al. (‘588) teaches one or more electric coupling antenna elements (fig.2,
`
`210) have a shape elongated (paragraph [0034-0038]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) with one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements have a shape elongated, as suggested by
`
`Tran et al. (‘588), for the purpose of improving the antenna characteristics by
`
`providing an omni-directional signal coverage in both polarized planes.
`
`8.
`
`Claim 5 and 7 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Garcia
`
`et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0056544 A1) in view of Tran et al. (U.S. Pub. No.
`
`2014/0327588 A1) in further view of Kosaka et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2018/0269577 A1 ).
`
`Regarding claim 5, The combination teaching of Garcia et al. (‘544) and Tran et
`
`al. (‘588) fails to explicitly teach about an electromagnetic band gap structure
`
`formed at one or more intervals between the one or more electric coupling
`
`antenna elements and the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 9
`
`However Kosaka et al. (‘577) teaches an electromagnetic band gap structure
`
`(fig.1, ref.104) formed at one or more intervals between the one or more electric
`
`coupling antenna (fig.1, ref.101) elements and the one or more magnetic
`
`coupling antenna (fig,1, ref.102) elements (paragraph [0088-0089]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the combination teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) and
`
`Tran et al. (‘588) with an electromagnetic band gap structure formed at one or
`
`more intervals between the one or more electric coupling antenna elements and
`
`the one or more magnetic coupling antenna elements of Kosaka et al. (‘577) so
`
`as to suppress the surface wave in order to improve the scanning performance.
`
`Regarding claim 7, The combination teaching of Garcia et al. (‘544) and Tran et
`
`al. (‘588) fails to explicitly teach about one of the first layer and the second layer
`
`is a surface layer, and wherein an electromagnetic band gap structure is formed
`
`in the conductive layer on the first layer at an interval between the one or more
`
`electric coupling antenna elements and the one or more magnetic coupling
`
`antenna elements as viewed from the top.
`
`However Kosaka et al. (‘577) teaches one of the first layer (layer of fig.1, ref.101)
`
`and the second layer (layer of fig,1, ref.102) is a surface layer, and wherein an
`
`electromagnetic band gap structure (fig.1, ref.104) is formed in the conductive
`
`layer on the first layer at an interval between the one or more electric coupling
`
`antenna (fig.1, ref.101) elements and the one or more magnetic coupling antenna
`
`(fig,1, ref.102) elements as viewed from the top (paragraph [0088-0089]).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 10
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the combination teachings of Garcia et al. (‘544) and
`
`Tran et al. (‘588) with one of the first layer and the second layer is a surface
`
`layer, and wherein an electromagnetic band gap structure is formed in the
`
`conductive layer on the first layer at an interval between the one or more electric
`
`coupling antenna elements and the one or more magnetic coupling antenna
`
`elements as viewed from the top of Kosaka et al. (‘577) so as to suppress the
`
`surface wave in order to improve the scanning performance.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to COLLIN DAWKINS whose telephone number is
`
`(571)270-1087. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30am to
`
`6:00pm EST); OFF Alt. Friday.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, DAMEON LEVI can be reached on (571) 272-2105. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/867,268
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 11
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
`
`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/DAMEON E LEVI/
`
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
`
`/COLLIN DAWKINS/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2845
`
`