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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
`
`15/820,228
`
`11/21/2017
`
`Yasuharu MATSUOKA
`
`PANDP0256US
`
`1037
`
`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`CLEVELAND, OH 441 15
`
`ISLAM HASAN Z
`
`ART UNIT
`2845
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`09/27/2019
`
`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):
`
`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/820,228
`Examiner
`HASAN ISLAM
`
`Applicant(s)
`MATSUOKA et al.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2845
`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 03 September 2019.
`[: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) fl is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s) 2-3 and 5—9 is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) 1 and 4 is/are rejected.
`
`E] Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, 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.'sp 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 21 November 2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)C] 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)|:] Some**
`
`c)C] None of the:
`
`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`21:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3D 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)/Mail Date_
`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 20190915
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/820,228
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 2
`
`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 (IDS) submitted on 11/21/17 is in compliance with the
`
`provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the
`
`examiner.
`
`Election/Restrictions
`
`Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 1 and 4 (species I”) in the reply filed on 9/3/19 is
`
`acknowledged.
`
`Claim Objections
`
`Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`Claim 4 reciting ”wherein the first antenna board and the second antenna board are respectively
`
`arranged such that respective pairs of main surfaces of the first antenna board and the second antenna
`
`board are parallel to the one main surface of the casing” appears to be a typo, which should read --
`
`wherein the first antenna board and the second antenna board are respectively arranged such that a
`
`respective pair of main surfaces of the first antenna board and the second antenna board are parallel to
`
`the one main surface of the casing--, thereby being commensurate with the disclosure of [1] 123] of the
`
`spec. (see printed publication). Hence, the claim recitation will be interpreted accordingly.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/820,228
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Appropriate correction is required.
`
`Page 3
`
`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.
`
`Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ”Hirota” (US).
`
`Claim 1: Hirota discloses an electronic apparatus (Fig. 3 reproduced below) comprising:
`
`
`
`;\\\\\x 3w: \\\\\3 :m: 3\\\\\\\.3 ‘\\-\
`
`a first antenna board A (24) extending with a first length;
`
`a second antenna board B (24) extending with a second length; and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/820,228
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 4
`
`a casing 21 [1] 22], having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for accommodating the first
`
`antenna board A and the second antenna board B (1] 27: ”In this embodiment, the antennas 24 are
`
`housed inside the display cabinet 21”),
`
`wherein the first antenna board A and the second antenna board B are arranged [1] 32] such
`
`that a longitudinal direction C (dotted arrow, i.e., extension direction of 243) of the first antenna board
`
`and a longitudinal direction of the second antenna board are parallel to one (upper) side of one main
`
`(outer) surface of the casing 21 (said upper side containing opening portion 23, said outer surface being
`
`a rear surface of casing 21, opposite to front surface containing display 22), and the first antenna board
`
`and the second antenna board are arranged parallel to each other (see Fig. 3).
`
`Hirota fails to expressly teach the first antenna board and the second antenna board each
`
`having a plate shape.
`
`However, Hirota teaches [1] 25] ”[t]he antennas 24 are each formed of, for example a copper-
`
`made metal sheet, and can carry out radio communications with the outside. The antennas 24 each
`
`contain a ground portion 24A having a square plate shape, a conductor portion 243 projecting linearly
`
`from the ground portion 24A and a mount portion 26 formed on the conductor portion 243.”
`
`A skilled artisan would appreciate antenna boards made of metal sheets are deemed as having a
`
`plate shape.
`
`Further, Hirota teaches [1] 28] ”the antennas 24 also function as a structure for supporting the
`
`cover 25, and therefore it is not necessary to provide a separate supporting structure. Therefore, it
`
`becomes possible to assure a sufficient space for installing the antennas 24. In this manner, the size of
`
`the housing can be reduced.”
`
`Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person
`
`having ordinary skill in the art to design Hirota’s first antenna board and the second antenna board each
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/820,228
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 5
`
`having a plate shape, in order to reduce housing size and effectively carry out radiation communications
`
`with the outside.
`
`Claim 4: Hirota discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna
`
`board A (Fig. 3 reproduced above) and the second antenna board B are respectively arranged such that
`
`respective pairs of main surfaces (top surface and bottom surface, respectively) of the first antenna
`
`board and the second antenna board are parallel to the one main surface of the casing (see Fig. 3
`
`reproduced above).
`
`Conclusion
`
`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
`
`disclosure.
`
`Wei (US 2014/0009342), Figs. 6-7.
`
`Wong (US 2013/0342425), Figs. 3-4.
`
`Dorsey et al. (US 2009/0295648), Fig. 1, [11 30].
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
`
`should be directed to HASAN ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1719. The examiner can
`
`normally be reached on Mon-Fri 10AM-6PM EST.
`
`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.
`
`|f attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
`
`DAM EON 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.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/820,228
`Art Unit: 2845
`
`Page 6
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
`
`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for 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 571-272-1000.
`
`/HASAN Z ISLAM/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2845
`
`

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