The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Page 1, line 9, note that the recitation of “on to” should be rewritten as --onto-- for idiomatic clarity; line 18, note that the pronoun “these” should be rewritten as --respective-- for an appropriate characterization; line 20, note that --transmission-- should be inserted prior to “lines” for an appropriate characterization. Page 1, line 16 and page 9, lines 6, 9, 12, note that the pronoun “its” should be rewritten as --the--, respectively at these instances for idiomatic clarity. Page 2, line 3 and page 7, line 11, note that --OF THE INVENTION-- should be inserted after “SUMMARY” (i.e. page 2) and inserted after “DETAIL DESCRIPTION”, respectively for consistency with PTO guidelines. At all instances throughout the specification, note that the terms “interpolation”, “interpolating” or “interpolates” are respectively vague in meaning and thus appropriate clarification of these terms is needed. Page 4, line 17, it is noted that the term “direction” should be rewritten as --directional-- for an appropriate characterization. Page 5, line 5; page 10, line 2; page 14, line 20: note that a --,-- should be inserted after “amount” (i.e. page 5), inserted after “frequencies” (i.e. page 10) and inserted after :function F(s)”, respectively at these instances for grammatical clarity. Page 7, line 13, note that --, wherein like features are denoted by the same reference labels throughout the detail description of the drawings-- should be inserted after “drawings” for an appropriate characterization; lines 14, 16, note that the pronoun “It” (i.e. line 14) should be rewritten as --FIG. 1-- and note that the pronoun “they” (i.e. line 16) should be rewritten as --the component--, respectively at these instances to indicate the intended features for clarity and completeness of description; line 16, note that the recitation of “how each they” is vague in meaning and thus appropriate clarification is needed. Page 7, lines 20-22 and page 8, line 8, note that the following terminology that are “also referred to” should be placed in quotes, respectively at these instances for an appropriate characterization: (junction block; electro-mechanical tunable reactive element; reactive element; tunable resonator; resonant cavity; resonant cavity filter). Page 8, line 9, note that the recitation of “isolator’s 2 purpose” should be rewritten as --purpose of isolator 2-- for an appropriate characterization; lines 17 & 18, note that the recitation of “It minimizes the interference this signal path” should be rewritten as --The impedance transformer minimizes the interference that the signal path-- for an appropriate characterization. Page 9, line 7, note that --corresponding-- should be inserted prior to “power” for an appropriate characterization; lines 22, 23, note that --(FIG. 1)-- should be inserted after “7” (i.e. line 22) and note that --(FIGS. 1 and 2)-- should be inserted after “5” (i.e. line 23), respectively at these instances for consistency with the labeling in those drawings. Page 10, line 1, note that the term “referrence” should be rewritten as --reference-- for an appropriate spelling; line 10, note that --circumstance-- should be inserted prior to “adds” for an appropriate characterization. Page 11, line 1, it is noted that the term “If” should be rewritten as --With respect to FIG. 2, if-- for an appropriate characterization. Page 11, line 18 and page 12, line 1, note that --as shown in FIG. 2-- should be inserted after “cavity n” (i.e. page 11) and inserted after “fn’ (i.e. page 12), respectively at these instances for an appropriate characterization consistent with the labeling in that drawing. Page 13, lines 2, 13, note that --tuning-- should be inserted after “starts” (i.e. line 2) and inserted after “stops” (i.e. line 13), respectively at these instances for an appropriate characterization; line 16, note that --for initial cavity tuning-- should be inserted prior to “starts” for an appropriate characterization; line 18, note that --fn-- should be inserted after “frequency” for an appropriate characterization. Page 13, lines 5-7, 16; page 14, line 8; page 15, line 1: note that the respective recitation of “is called” is vague in meaning, at these instances and thus appropriate clarification is needed. Page 13, line 9; page 14, lines 13, 24; page 15, line 7: note that --(FIG. 1)-- should be inserted after “4” (i.e. page 13, line 9 & page 14, line 13), inserted after “6” (i.e. page 14, line 24) and inserted after “7” (i.e. page 15, line 7), respectively at these instances for consistency with the labeling in that drawing; Page 13, line 11; page 14, line 17; page 15, line 9: note that the respective recitation of “escape condition” (i.e. pages 13, 14) and “escape” (i.e. page 15) are vague in meaning, at these instances and thus appropriate clarification is needed. Page 14, line 2, note that the recitation of “tuned to the correct position at step 29” does not appear consistent with what is depicted and described in Fig. 7 with respect to step 29 and thus appropriate clarification is needed; line 8, note that --for optimal tuning-- should be inserted after “process” for an appropriate characterization; line 24, note that --for optimized junction tuning-- should be inserted after “process”. Page 14, line 24 and page 15, line 7, note that the respective pronouns “it” (i.e. page 14) and “they” (i.e. page 15) should be rewritten to indicate the corresponding intended feature, at these instances for clarity and completeness of description. Page 15, line 5, note that the recitation of “value is lower than the first as” should be rewritten as --value F(d+ds) is lower than the first value F(s) as-- for an appropriate characterization; line 6, note that the recitation of “to s repeatedly” is vague in meaning and thus appropriate clarification is needed; line 8, note that --or Ends-- should be inserted after “stops” for an appropriate characterization; lines 13-15, 17, 20, 21, note that the pronoun “it” should be rewritten as --the controller-- to indicate the intended feature, respectively at these instances for an appropriate characterization. Page 16, lines 2, 18, note that the pronoun “their” should be rewritten as --The--(i.e. line 2) and rewritten as --the corresponding-- (i.e. line 18), respectively at these instances for idiomatic clarity; line 10, note that --not shown-- should be inserted after “GUI” for an appropriate characterization. Page 17, lines 3, 7, note that --as shown in FIG. 1-- should be inserted after “7” (i.e. line 3) and after “10” (i.e. line 7), respectively at these instances for appropriate characterization consistent with the labeling in that drawing; line 12, note that the term “Tunes” should be rewritten as --Tune-- for consistent tense. Appropriate correction is required.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Note that the following reference labels in the indicated drawings need to be described in the detail description for clarity and completeness of description: Fig. 1 (F1, F2, F3); Fig. 6 (i=0, i<2, No, Yes, i=i+1); Figs. 7, 8 (N=number of signal paths, n=0, n<N, No, Yes, n=n+1); Fig. 7, “fn=frequency of signal path n”; Fig. 9, all descriptive wording and labels except for the descriptive wording in blocks (38, 39, 40). Appropriate correction is required.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the user instructions indicating manual override and subsequent steps of adjusting and selecting being user-selected (i.e. claim 17) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-6; 7-17; 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In claim 1, line 6; in claim 7, lines 3 & 4; in claim 18, line 3: note that it is unclear, even in light of the specification, as to how tuning would be implemented “in accordance with a plurality of carrier frequencies”, respectively at these instances. Appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 2, lines 2 & 3; in claim 3, lines 3, 4; in claim 9, lines 2 & 3; in claim 10, lines 1, 2 & 4: note that it is unclear whether the recitation of “by adjusting of a plurality of cavity positions” would be an accurate characterization of this aspect of the invention, especially since, in light of the specification, the respective cavity positions appear to at fixed locations. Appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 3, line 3 and in claim 10, line 4, note that the terms “interpolation” (i.e. in claim 3) and “interpolating” (i.e. claim 10) are respectively vague in meaning, at these instances and moreover it is unclear whether such terminology would accurately characterize this aspect of the invention and thus appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 3, lines 4 & 5 and in claim 10, line 5, note that it is unclear how “a plurality of known carrier frequencies”, as respectively recited herein would relate to “a plurality of carrier frequencies”, as recited earlier in claims 1, 7, respectively (i.e. one in the same carrier frequencies, separate & distinct carrier frequencies) and thus appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 4, lines 2 & 3, note that the recitation of “a range of tuning positions of the reactive element” is vague in meaning, especially since the “reactive element” has not been previously recited to have “tuning positions” and thus appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 5, lines 2, 7 and in claim 13, line 2, note that it is unclear how “a plurality of insertion gains”, as respectively recited herein would relate to “a first lowest insertion gain”, as respectively recited earlier in claims 4, 7 (i.e. the first lowest insertion gain is a part of the plurality of insertion gains, the first lowest insertion gains is separate and distinct from the plurality of insertion gains, etc.). Appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 6, line 4, note that it is unclear how “a preceding tuning position”, as recited herein would relate to “a midpoint tuning position”, as recited earlier in claim 4 (i.e. one in the same tuning position, separate & distinct tuning positions, etc.) and thus appropriate clarification is needed; line 9, note that the recitation of “the new said lowest insertion gain” appears to lack strict antecedent basis and thus appropriate clarification is needed.
In claims 6, 16, lines 5-8 in each claim, for steps (d) & (e), note that it is unclear how each operation is intended to be “determine” and thus appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 10, lines 3 & 4, note that the recitation of “said carrier frequency” is vague in meaning, especially since it is unclear as to which one of the “plurality of carrier frequencies” would have been intended by the singular “said carrier frequency”. Appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 12, lines 3, 4 and in claim 13, line 7, it is noted that it is unclear how “a first said lowest insertion loss”, as recited herein would relate to “a lowest insertion gain”, as recited earlier in claim 7. Appropriate clarification is needed.
In claim 18, line 9, it is noted that it is unclear in what manner would the “signal paths” be “maximized”. Appropriate clarification is needed.
The following claims have been found to be objectionable for reasons set forth below:
In claim 5, line 4 and in claim 13, line 6, it is noted that the term “direction” should be rewritten as --directional--, respectively at these instances for an appropriate characterization.
In claim 6, line 3, note that --of the reactive element-- should be inserted after “positions” for an appropriate characterization; line 4, note that --range of-- should be inserted after “said” for an appropriate characterization.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Victorin & Sakka each pertain to filter combiners, where the filters are automatically adjusted using a processor, but each reference does not disclose that there is any reactive element in the combiner junction which can also be adjusted.
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to BENNY T LEE at telephone number (571) 272-1764.
/BENNY T LEE/PRIMARY EXAMINER
ART UNIT 2843
B. Lee