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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/25/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 12 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 12, line 1, “waves” should read “wherein waves”.
In claim 15, line 2, “turning” should read “tuning”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 26-27 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.
Regarding claim 26, the term “curved (conformal)” recited in line 3 renders the scope of the claim indefinite, as it is unclear as to what is the intended limitation. Does the term mean curved, conformal, or a combination thereof?
Regarding claim 27, the term “curved (conformal)” recited in line 3 renders the scope of the claim indefinite, as it is unclear as to what is the intended limitation. Does the term mean curved, conformal, or a combination thereof?
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-15 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kafaie Shirmanesh et al. (US 2019/0033682 A1) cited by the applicant, hereinafter referred to as Kafaie, in view of Chen et al. (US 2015/0318618 A1) cited by the applicant, hereinafter referred to as Chen.
Regarding claim 1, Kafaie teaches a wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface for wireless communication (Kafaie – Fig. 1; Paragraph [0022], note array configuration of unit cells can be used for beam steering devices (which can be used for RF communication as conventional in the art); Paragraph [0024], note tunable metasurface unit cell, antenna), comprising:
a first layer comprising a plurality of unit cells devoted to providing local reflection properties via one or more tuning components in each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells (Kafaie – Fig. 1, Fig. 11; Paragraph [0022], note the unit cell can be repeated horizontally in a plane by placing multiple unit cells adjacent to each other; Paragraph [0024], note the unit cell comprises a back reflector (125), a first and second gate dielectric layers (105) with an ITO layer (110) in between, and an antenna or emitter (115); Paragraph [0045], note the first electric conductor configured to apply a first voltage bias between the transparent index-change layer and the antenna, the second electric conductor configured to apply a second voltage bias between the transparent index-change layer and the back reflector, electrically tuning the refractive index of the index-change material by the application of the first and second voltage biases; Paragraph [0052], note the dual-gated metasurface structure comprises an Al back reflector, a gate-dielectric/ITO/gate-dielectric heterostructure, and a periodic array of Al nanoantennas, for example with a ‘fishbone’ pattern, where the antenna has a longitudinal axis and a shorter elongation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with parallelepipeds extending along both axis (FIG. 11 panels a, b));
a system of one or more biasing electric conductors configured to provide control (Kafaie – Paragraph [0045], note the first electric conductor configured to apply a first voltage bias between the transparent index-change layer and the antenna, the second electric conductor configured to apply a second voltage bias between the transparent index-change layer and the back reflector, thereby forming charge depletion or accumulation regions between the transparent index-change layer and the first or second gate dielectrics, in turn electrically tuning the refractive index of the index-change material by the application of the first and second voltage biases); and
wherein at least one electric conductor is configured for biasing the one or more tuning components using at least one full-domain basis function (Kafaie – Fig. 13; Paragraph [0062], note modeling the complex dielectric permittivity of ITO as a function of position and applied voltage, it is possible to calculate the metasurface optical response for different applied biases under normal incidence illumination with a transverse magnetic (TM) polarized plane wave (E-field along x-direction), reflectance of a dual-gated metasurface as a function of wavelength and applied voltage).
Kafaie does not teach the wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface for wireless communication comprising a system of one or more biasing transmission lines configured to provide control.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches the wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface for wireless communication comprising a system of one or more biasing transmission lines configured to provide control (Chen – Fig. 6A; Paragraph [0038], note scattering element (of a surface scattering antenna, see Paragraph [0020]), a shunt resistance or reactance between the conductor and the ground body can be controlled by adjusting a bias voltage delivered by a bias control line 640).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie in order to utilize a bias control line to adjust bias voltage, allowing isolation of bias control signal (for controlling bias voltage) from high frequency RF or microwave resonance of the antenna (Chen – Paragraph [0039]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the at least one full-domain basis function comprises a voltage wave over the whole transmission line (Kafaie – Fig. 13; Paragraph [0062], note modeling the complex dielectric permittivity of ITO as a function of position and applied voltage, it is possible to calculate the metasurface optical response for different applied biases under normal incidence illumination with a transverse magnetic (TM) polarized plane wave (E-field along x-direction), reflectance of a dual-gated metasurface as a function of wavelength and applied voltage).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells are periodically arranged (Kafaie – Fig. 11; Paragraph [0052], note the dual-gated metasurface structure comprises a periodic array of Al nanoantennas, for example with a ‘fishbone’ pattern, where the antenna has a longitudinal axis and a shorter elongation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with parallelepipeds extending along both axis (FIG. 11 panels a, b)).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises a single-polarization or dual-polarization patch or slot or other scatterer like dielectric resonator, in each unit cell (Kafaie – Paragraph [0051], note field effect-induced charge accumulation or depletion in the semiconducting electrode of a nanoscale metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure that also serves as a resonant antenna; Paragraph [0052], note dual-gated field-effect-tunable metasurface antenna arrays, the dual-gated metasurface described herein features two charge accumulation/depletion layers within the dielectric spacer of each active metasurface antenna).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises patterned copper patches or patterned slots in a metal layer, or patterned dielectric resonator (Kafaie – Fig. 11; Paragraph [0052], note the dual-gated metasurface structure comprises a periodic array of Al nanoantennas, for example with a ‘fishbone’ pattern, where the antenna has a longitudinal axis and a shorter elongation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with parallelepipeds extending along both axis (FIG. 11 panels a, b)).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises metal patches or slots in a metal layer (Kafaie – Fig. 2; Paragraph [0026], note the metasurface shown in FIG. 2 can be understood as two metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors connected in series, the top MOS capacitor comprises the patch antenna (230); Paragraph [0031], note the patch antenna can also be a semiconductor, for example GaAs, InP, Si, or other similar semiconductors, which can also be optically dielectric).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises patterned dielectric resonators (Kafaie – Paragraph [0051], note semiconducting electrode of a nanoscale metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure that also serves as a resonant antenna; Paragraph [0057], note fishbone antenna array, stripe electrode).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the plurality of unit cells comprises patterned dielectric element mixed with patterned metallic structures in each unit cell (Kafaie – Fig. 11; Paragraph [0052], note the dual-gated metasurface structure comprises a periodic array of Al nanoantennas, for example with a ‘fishbone’ pattern, where the antenna has a longitudinal axis and a shorter elongation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with parallelepipeds extending along both axis (FIG. 11 panels a, b); Paragraph [0057], note a 40 nm-thick Al fishbone antenna array was fabricated on top of the upper HAOL layer by electron beam evaporation of Al and patterning by electron beam lithography).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein the first layer provides controlled wave reflection (Kafaie – Fig. 3; Paragraph [0035], note incident electromagnetic wave (315), reflected electromagnetic wave (320), a voltage bias (305) can be applied between the Au mirror and the Au antenna).
Regarding claim 10, Kafaie does not teach wherein the tuning component is a varactor.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches wherein the tuning component is a varactor (Chen – Fig. 6A; Paragraph [0038], note if the two-port lumped element is nonlinear, a shunt resistance or reactance between the conductor and the ground body can be controlled by adjusting a bias voltage delivered by a bias control line 640, the two-port lumped element can be a varactor diode whose capacitance varies as a function of the applied bias voltage).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 11, Kafaie does not teach wherein waves used for control comprise standing waves obeying electromagnetic boundary conditions of the guiding transmission line in one dimension.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches wherein waves used for control comprise standing waves obeying electromagnetic boundary conditions of the guiding transmission line in one dimension (Chen – Fig. 1; Paragraph [0020], note the surface scattering antenna 100 includes a plurality of scattering elements 102a, 102b that are distributed along a wave-propagating structure 104, the wave propagating structure 104 may be a microstrip, a stripline, a coplanar waveguide, a parallel plate waveguide, a dielectric rod or slab, a closed or tubular waveguide, a substrate-integrated waveguide, or any other structure capable of supporting the propagation of a guided wave or surface wave 105 along or within the structure, it is also to be noted that while the disclosure herein generally refers to the guided wave or surface wave 105 as a propagating wave, other embodiments are contemplated that make use of a standing wave that is a superposition of an input wave and reflection(s)s thereof).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 12, Kafaie does not teach wherein waves used for control comprise a set of voltage standing waves.
Chen teaches wherein waves used for control comprise a set of voltage standing waves (Chen – Fig. 1; Paragraph [0020], note a plurality of scattering elements 102a, 102b that are distributed along a wave-propagating structure 104, the wave propagating structure 104 supports the propagation of a guided wave or surface wave 105 along or within the structure, it is also to be noted that while the disclosure herein generally refers to the guided wave or surface wave 105 as a propagating wave, other embodiments are contemplated that make use of a standing wave that is a superposition of an input wave and reflection(s)s thereof; Paragraph [0022], note the scattering elements 102a, 102b are adjustable scattering elements having electromagnetic properties that are adjustable in response to one or more external inputs, adjustable scattering elements can include elements that are adjustable in response to voltage inputs (e.g. bias voltages for active elements (such as varactors, transistors, diodes)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 13, Kafaie does not teach the wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface further comprising at least one feeding line.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches the wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface further comprising at least one feeding line (Chen – Fig. 1; Paragraph [0021], note the surface scattering antenna also includes at least one feed connector 106 that is configured to couple the wave-propagation structure 104 to a feed structure 108).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 14, Kafaie does not teach wherein control is exerted via the at least one feeding line.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches wherein control is exerted via the at least one feeding line (Chen – Fig. 1; Paragraph [0021], note the feed structure 108 (schematically depicted as a coaxial cable) may be a transmission line, a waveguide, or any other structure capable of providing an electromagnetic signal that may be launched, via the feed connector 106, into a guided wave or surface wave 105 of the wave-propagating structure 104; Paragraph [0032], note a desired output wave E(θ,φ) may be controlled by adjusting gains of individual amplifiers for the plurality of feeds).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 15, Kafaie does not teach wherein the at least one transmission line biases the one or more tuning components without interfering significantly with an incoming radio frequency (RF) wave.
In an analogous art, Chen teaches wherein the at least one transmission line biases the one or more tuning components without interfering significantly with an incoming radio frequency (RF) wave (Chen – Fig. 6A; Paragraph [0039], note the bias control line 640 includes an RF or microwave choke 645 designed to isolate the low frequency bias control signal from the high frequency RF or microwave resonance of the scattering element).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Chen into Kafaie for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Kafaie and Chen, specifically Kafaie teaches wherein an envelope polarization voltage is provided at each of the plurality of unit cells (Kafaie – Fig. 14; Paragraph [0065], note FIG. 14 panels a-b illustrate the phase shift and reflectance as a function of applied bias V0 at a wavelength of λ=1550 nm, bias configuration gives a continuously tunable phase shift between 70° and −245°, when the applied voltage is varied between V0 = −6.5 V and V0 = 6.5 V).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 26-27 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 16-22, and 24-25 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Applicant’s dependent claims recite:
wherein the at least one transmission line is configured for biasing the one or more tuning components using at least one biasing mode that travels with a phase velocity Vb over a length Lx, along a first direction;
wherein the at least one basis function comprises a frequency of excitation fp determined by establishing a resonance on at least one transmission line;
wherein wave-controlled reconfigurable intelligent surface has a length L'x that is greater than a wavelength such that resonance frequencies are smaller than an electromagnetic RF frequency used in the communications link;
wherein a controlling wave comprising a linear superposition of periodic modes, wherein a sum of periodic mode voltages provides biasing to varactors that determine phase shifts;
wherein a controlling wave comprising a linear superposition of periodic modes is achieved in two dimensions (x and y) to control planar reconfigurable intelligent surfaces;
wherein a controlling wave comprising a linear superposition of modes is achieved in curvilinear dimensions to control curved (conformal) reconfigurable intelligent surfaces; and
wherein a controlling wave comprising a linear superposition of modes traveling in two directions is achieved in two curvilinear dimensions to control curved (conformal) reconfigurable intelligent surfaces.
The limitations above are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Salle et al. (US 8,145,158 B2) discloses voltage-mode biasing of a radio frequency power amplifier.
Khushrushahi (US 11,894,613 B1) discloses band-pass/band-reject metamaterial which can be tuned away from a center frequency using varactor diodes which can be arranged to be forward or reversed biased.
Black et al. (US 2017/0187123 A1) discloses modulating power delivered to individual antenna elements, adjustable feed structure for a unit cell, variable component such as a varactor, and adjusting bias voltages.
Quarfoth et al. (US 2019/0334234 A1) discloses tuning elements for holographic antennas including varactor diodes for applying voltage or current biases.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAILOR C HSU whose telephone number is (571)272-1729. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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, Huy Vu can be reached at (571)-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BAILOR C HSU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461