Appeal No. 1998-1545
Application No. 08/698,169
The examiner states that Takeuchi shows a conventional, alternative, way of mounting the
patch antennas atop the substrate with a ground plane mounted on the bottom side thereof
(see Figure 7B, for example). The examiner then concludes that it would have been
obvious “to employ the common mounting substrate, which carries the patch radiators and
ground plane of Takeuchi...in lieu of the separated mounting boards of McGirr...for the
purpose of providing an easily-manufactured microstrip antenna."
Our analysis of McGirr, as it relates to the independent claims, taking claim 1 as an
example, is as follows:
McGirr clearly suggests a miniature, multi-branch patch antenna having reduced
coupling between antenna elements. McGirr shows a planar dielectric substrate (circuit
board 45) having a first and second surface. If the underside of the circuit board is
considered the “first” surface of the substrate, then McGirr shows a plurality of conducting
antenna elements (receiver patch 20 and transmit patch 30) disposed on the first surface
of the dielectric substrate, as claimed. Further, a plurality of feed ports (24 and 34)
deliver/receive signals to/from the conducting antenna elements. The pedestal 44 may be
considered the claimed “septum” in that it is disposed on the first surface and is located
between the conducting antenna elements and is in electrical
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