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 .
Response to Amendment
The following is a final office action in response to the communication filed on 03/30/2026. Claims 1, 4, 5, 11, 14, 17 and 18 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and remarks filed on 03/30/2026 have been fully considered.
Applicant’s amendments overcome the objections to the claims.
Applicant’s amendments overcome each and every 35 U.S.C. §112(b) rejection of the claims.
Applicant’s arguments provided for the 35 U.S.C. §102 and §103 rejections of claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6 and 8-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vollbracht et al. (US-20210239791-A1; hereinafter Vollbracht) in view of further embodiments of Vollbracht.
Regarding claim 1, Vollbracht discloses:
A radar system for a vehicle (see at least [0057]; “The radar device may be mounted to a vehicle.”) comprising:
a radar antenna system (see at least Fig. 17, antenna device 200) and a radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, radar circuit 100); wherein:
the radar antenna system comprises at least a first antenna (see at least Fig. 17, first antenna 211), an additional antenna (see at least Fig. 17, second antenna), a feed port (see at least Fig. 17, first port 231), an additional feed port (see at least Fig. 17, second port 232) and a transmission line network (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting antenna elements);
the transmission line network has a guiding section (see at least Fig. 11, signal lines connecting to antenna 211) and an additional guiding section (see at least Fig. 11, signal lines connecting to antenna 221);
the transmission line network couples the first antenna to the feed port via the guiding section (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting to antenna 211 to first port 231) and the additional antenna to the additional feed port via the additional guiding section (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting to antenna 221 to second port 232);
a port of the radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130) is coupled to the feed port (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130 connects to feed port 231 through signal routing device 230) and the port of the radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130) is coupled to the additional feed port (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130 connects to feed port 232 through signal routing device 230),
wherein the radar circuit is configured to operate, in a separated operation mode, the first antenna independently from the additional antenna (see at least [0188]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213 and the common signal port 130 and to route the second signal portion 221 of the radar signal 10 between the common signal port 130 and both the second antenna elements 223 and the first antenna elements 213. Consequently, the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223.); and
the radar circuit is configured to operate, in a combined operation mode, at least one antenna coupled to the feed port together with at least one additional antenna coupled to the additional antenna coupled to the (see at least [0188] – [0189]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213 and the common signal port 130 and to route the second signal portion 221 of the radar signal 10 between the common signal port 130 and both the second antenna elements 223 and the first antenna elements 213. Consequently, the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223. The first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223 are arranged in a way that the first radiating elements 213 form a first antenna array and that the second radiating elements 223 together with the first radiating elements 213 form a second antenna array with a narrower beam solid angle than the first antenna array.”).
However, the embodiment taught in Fig. 17 of Vollbracht teaches a only single feed port (common signal port 130) coupling to both ports of the radar circuit (to feed ports 231 and 232). This embodiment does not teach one feed port coupling to one port of the radar circuit and a second, additional feed port coupling to the second port of the radar circuit.
Other embodiments of Vollbracht teach:
A port of the radar circuit (see at least Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, signal port 130) is coupled to the feed port (see at least Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, connection of signal port 130 to antennas 211 and 221) and an additional port of the radar circuit (see at least Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, signal port 131) is coupled to the additional feed port (see at least Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, connection of signal port 131 to additional antennas 211 and 221).
Vollbracht additionally teaches that the antennas connected to separate feed ports are configured to add up coherently (see at least Fig. 15, radar device 1, which is shown in Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14 to comprise multiple signal ports each connecting to their own copies of antennas 211 and 221. See also [0183]; “As it is shown in FIG. 15, the first antennas 211 may be positioned to have a first field of view 240 and the second antennas 221 may be positioned to have a second field of view 242.” Thus, the multiple antennas 211 from different feed ports are shown by Fig. 15 to add coherently, and likewise for the multiple antennas 221 from different feed ports).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to use the configuration of antennas 211 and 221 taught in Fig. 17 of Vollbracht in the feed port configuration taught in any of Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14 of Vollbracht. Such a modification would fulfill the limitations of claim 1 as follows:
a port of the radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130) is coupled to the feed port (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130 connects to feed port 231 through signal routing device 230) and an additional port of the radar circuit (see at least signal port 131 of Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14) is coupled to the additional feed port (in the combined embodiment of Figs. 1, 4, 11, 14 and 17, consider that signal port 131 connects to a feed port 232 through signal routing device 230),
wherein the radar circuit is configured to operate, in a separated operation mode, the first antenna independently from the additional antenna (see at least [0188]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213…the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223.); and
the radar circuit is configured to operate, in a combined operation mode, at least one antenna coupled to the feed port (antenna 211 coupled to feed port 130) together with at least one antenna coupled to the additional feed port (antenna 221 coupled to feed port 131) such that electromagnetic energy transduced from the at least one antenna coupled to the feed port and from the at least one antenna coupled to the additional feed port coherently add up to form an antenna pattern of a single common antenna (see at least [0189]; “The first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223 are arranged in a way that the first radiating elements 213 form a first antenna array and that the second radiating elements 223 together with the first radiating elements 213 form a second antenna array with a narrower beam solid angle than the first antenna array.” See also Fig. 15 and [0183], which demonstrate that antenna elements of the same type and connected to different feed ports add coherently to form an antenna pattern.).
Fig. 17 presents an embodiment of the antennas 211 and 221 without explicitly describing their context in the radar device 1. Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14 teach radar device 1 with various embodiments of antennas 211 and 221. Using the antenna configuration of Fig. 17 within the radar device 1 of Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14 would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill.
Regarding claim 2, Vollbracht in view of Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 1. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the radar circuit is configured to operate, in the separated operation mode, the first antenna as an antenna of a MIMO configuration and to operate, in the separated operation mode, the additional antenna as an additional antenna of the MIMO configuration (see at least [0060]; “The first and second signal portion may be radiated from or received at different and well defined physical locations on the antenna device, for example in angle resolving antenna arrays such as single input multiple output (SIMO) or MIMO configurations.”).
Regarding claim 3, Vollbracht in view of Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 1. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein:
the transmission line network couples (see at least [0168]; “FIG. 9 shows an alternative embodiment of a first antenna 211 and a second antenna 221 that are coupled via a common signal line 205 to a common signal port 204 and that may be used with the antenna devices 200 according to the present disclosure.”) a second antenna (see at least Fig. 9, second antenna 221) to the feed port (see at least Fig. 9, common signal port 204) via the guiding section (see at least Fig. 9, common signal line 205);
the guiding section is configured to guide electromagnetic energy at a first frequency and to guide electromagnetic energy at a second frequency (see at least [0034]; “The first antenna element transduces the first signal portion of the radar signal by receiving electromagnetic radiation in the first frequency band and by sending a corresponding transmission line signal to the radar circuit and the second antenna element transduces the second signal portion of the radar signal by receiving electromagnetic radiation in the second frequency band and by sending a corresponding transmission line signal to the radar circuit.”);
the radar antenna system is configured to transduce the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency via the first antenna; and
the radar antenna system is configured to block the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency from being transduced via the second antenna and to transduce the electromagnetic energy at the second frequency via the second antenna (see at least [0188]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213 and the common signal port 130 and to route the second signal portion 221 of the radar signal 10 between the common signal port 130 and both the second antenna elements 223 and the first antenna elements 213. Consequently, the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223.”).
It would have been obvious to combine embodiments of Vollbracht for the reasons given regarding claim 1. Regarding the limitations of claim 3, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill that the antennas 211 and 221 of Fig. 17 (previously cited regarding claim 1) could be connected in series, as taught for the antennas 211 and 221 of Fig. 9.
Regarding claim 4, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 3. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein:
the radar antenna system is configured to transduce electromagnetic energy at the second frequency via the first antenna (see at least [0058]; “According to an embodiment, the antenna device is configured to transduce the second signal portion via both the first antenna element and the second antenna element.”);
the radar circuit is configured to operate the first antenna together with the second antenna as a single further common antenna at the second frequency (see at least [0058]; “Consequently, the second antenna comprises both the first antenna element and the second antenna element and the first antenna comprises the first antenna element but not the second antenna element.”); and
the radar circuit is configured to operate the single further common antenna as an antenna of a MIMO configuration (see at least [0060]; “The first and second signal portion may be radiated from or received at different and well defined physical locations on the antenna device, for example in angle resolving antenna arrays such as single input multiple output (SIMO) or MIMO configurations.”).
Regarding claim 5, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 3. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the radar circuit is configured to operate, in the combined operation mode, the first antenna and the second antenna (see at least [0058]; “Consequently, the second antenna comprises both the first antenna element and the second antenna element and the first antenna comprises the first antenna element but not the second antenna element.”) together with the at least one antenna coupled to the additional feed port (see at least Fig. 11, antenna 211 coupled to signal port 131) as parts of the single common antenna (see at least [0183]; “In other alternative embodiments of the radar devices 1 of the present disclosure, the first antennas 211 and the second antennas 221 may be shaped and/or positioned to have fields of view with different extends along a lateral direction. As it is shown in FIG. 15, the first antennas 211 may be positioned to have a first field of view 240 and the second antennas 221 may be positioned to have a second field of view 242.” As discussed regarding claim 1, radar device 1 comprises multiple antennas coupled to multiple feed ports.).
Regarding claim 6, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 3. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein:
the transmission line network comprises a filter section (see at least Fig. 9, filter element 285);
the second antenna is coupled to the guiding section via the filter section (see at least Fig. 9, second antenna 221 is coupled to common signal line 205 via filter 285); and
the filter section is configured to block the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency and to pass the electromagnetic energy at the second frequency (see at least [0168]; “In this embodiment, the first antenna 211 and the second antenna 221 are serially coupled to the common signal line 205 and a filter element 285 is placed between the first antenna 211 and the second antenna 221. The filter element 285 is configured to block the first signal portion of the radar signal transduced via the common signal port 204 and to pass the second signal portion of the radar signal to the second antenna 221.”).
It would have been obvious to combine embodiments of Vollbracht for the reasons given regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 3. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the second antenna is coupled to the guiding section via at least a part of the first antenna (see at least Fig. 9, second antenna 221 is coupled to common signal line 205 via first antenna 211).
Regarding claim 9, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 3. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein:
the radar antenna system comprises a third antenna (see at least Fig. 9, further antenna 229); the third antenna is coupled to the feed port via the guiding section (see at least Fig. 9, antenna 229 is coupled to common signal port 204 via signal line 205);
the guiding section is configured to transduce electromagnetic energy at a third frequency (see at least [0169]; “As it is shown in FIG. 9, further antennas 229 may be coupled to the common signal line 205 behind the second antenna 221. The individual further antennas 229 may each transduce a separate signal portion of the radar signal.”); and
the radar antenna system is configured to block the electromagnetic energy at the first frequency from being transduced via the third antenna and to transduce the electromagnetic energy at the third frequency via the third antenna (see at least [0169]; “In this case, the filter element 285 passes all signal portions but the first signal portion radiated by the first antenna 211. Additionally, each further antenna 229 is coupled via a further filter element 286 to the preceding antennas 211, 221, 229. The individual further filter elements 286 each pass all signal portions radiated by the further antennas 229 that are coupled to the common signal line 205 behind the respective further filter element 286 and block all signal portions of the radar signal that are radiated by the antennas 211, 221, 229 coupled to the common signal line 205 in front of the respective further filter element 286.”).
Regarding claim 10, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 9. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the radar antenna system is configured to transduce the electromagnetic energy at the third frequency via the first antenna and/or via the second antenna (see at least Fig. 9, where signals for the additional antenna 229 are passed via antenna 211 and antenna 221. See also [0054]; “The radar circuit may be configured to transceive a third signal portion of the radar signal occupying a third frequency band that is different from the first frequency band and the second frequency band, and the ranging module of the radar device may be configured to jointly process the first, second and third signal portion to determine the distance to the target object irradiated by the first, second and third signal portion. The third signal portion may be transduced via at least one of the first and second antenna. It also may be transduced via both the first and second antenna.”).
Regarding claim 11, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 9. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein:
the radar circuit is configured to operate, in the combined operation mode, the first antenna, the second antenna (see at least [0058]; “According to an embodiment, the antenna device is configured to transduce the second signal portion via both the first antenna element and the second antenna element. Consequently, the second antenna comprises both the first antenna element and the second antenna element and the first antenna comprises the first antenna element but not the second antenna element.”) (see at least Fig. 11, antenna 221 coupled to port 131) as parts of the single common antenna (see at least [0156]; “Each common signal port 130, 131, 133, 135, 136, 137 is coupled via a common signal line 205 to an individual signal routing device 230. Each signal routing device 230 has a first port 231 and a second port 232. Each first port 231 is coupled to an individual first antenna 211 transducing in the first frequency band 31 and each second port 232 is coupled to an individual second antenna 221 transducing in the second frequency band 34.”) by simultaneously routing a first one of the two radar signals via the feed port and a second one of two radar signals via the additional feed port (see at least [0157]; “The signal generator 105 is controlled to generate individual radar signals for every common transmit signal port 130, 131, 133, each radar signal having a first signal portion occupying the first frequency band 31 and a second signal portion occupying the second frequency band 34.”); and
each of the two radar signals has the third frequency (see at least [0054]; “The radar circuit may be configured to transceive a third signal portion of the radar signal occupying a third frequency band that is different from the first frequency band and the second frequency band, and the ranging module of the radar device may be configured to jointly process the first, second and third signal portion to determine the distance to the target object irradiated by the first, second and third signal portion. The third signal portion may be transduced via at least one of the first and second antenna. It also may be transduced via both the first and second antenna.”).
However, Vollbracht does not explicitly teach the first and second antennas transmitting at the same frequency as the third antenna, nor does Vollbracht explicitly teach the at least one additional antenna also transmitting in that same frequency at the same time.
Vollbracht does teach the first and second antennas transmitting in a third frequency (see at least [0054]), and the signal for the third antenna of Fig. 9 passes unfiltered through the first and second antennas (see at least [0169]; “As it is shown in FIG. 9, further antennas 229 may be coupled to the common signal line 205 behind the second antenna 221. The individual further antennas 229 may each transduce a separate signal portion of the radar signal. In this case, the filter element 285 passes all signal portions but the first signal portion radiated by the first antenna 211. Additionally, each further antenna 229 is coupled via a further filter element 286 to the preceding antennas 211, 221, 229. The individual further filter elements 286 each pass all signal portions radiated by the further antennas 229 that are coupled to the common signal line 205 behind the respective further filter element 286 and block all signal portions of the radar signal that are radiated by the antennas 211, 221, 229 coupled to the common signal line 205 in front of the respective further filter element 286.”). Furthermore, the antennas coupled to the additional feed port are taught to transmit at the same and in the same frequencies as those coupled to the first feed port (see at least [0156]). It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to combine all these features into a single embodiment, where the first, second, and third antennas, as well as an antenna coupled to the additional feed port, are all simultaneously transmitting radar signals that have the third frequency.
Regarding claim 12, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 9. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the at least one antenna coupled to the feed port (see at least Fig. 11, antenna 221 routed to signal port 130) and/or the at least one antenna coupled to the additional feed port are located in between the first antenna (see at least Fig. 11, antenna 211 routed to signal port 130) and the additional antenna (see at least Fig. 11, where antenna 221 routed to port 130 is in between the 211 antenna routed to port 130 and the 221 antenna routed to port 131).
Regarding claim 13, Vollbracht discloses the radar system of claim 9. Vollbracht further teaches:
wherein the transmission line network is configured as a waveguide network (see at least [0222]; “The filters 310, 311 and the common signal line connecting the antennas 211, 221, 229 to the common signal port 130 may be configured as surface integrated waveguide devices.”).
Regarding claim 14, Vollbracht discloses:
A vehicle (see at least Fig. 31, vehicle 500) including a radar system (see at least Fig. 31, radar device 1).
The remaining limitations of claim 14 are analogous to those of claim 1 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 15, Vollbracht discloses the vehicle of claim 14. The remaining limitations of claim 1 are analogous to those of claim 2 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 16, Vollbracht discloses the vehicle of claim 14. The remaining limitations of claim 16 are analogous to those of claim 3 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 17, Vollbracht discloses the vehicle of claim 14. The remaining limitations of claim 17 are analogous to those of claim 4 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 18, Vollbracht discloses:
A method for operating a radar system for a vehicle (see at least [0057]; “The radar device may be mounted to a vehicle.”), the radar system comprising a radar antenna system (see at least Fig. 17, antenna device 200) and a radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, radar circuit 100), the radar antenna system comprising at least a first antenna (see at least Fig. 17, first antenna 211), an additional antenna (see at least Fig. 17, second antenna 221), a feed port (see at least Fig. 17, first port 231), an additional feed port (see at least Fig. 17, second port 232) and a transmission line network (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting antenna elements), the transmission line network having a guiding section (see at least Fig. 11, signal lines connecting to antenna 211) and an additional guiding section (see at Fig 11, signal lines connecting to antenna 221), the transmission line network coupling the first antenna to the feed port via the guiding section (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting to antenna 211 to first port 231) and the additional antenna to the additional feed port via the additional guiding section (see at least Fig. 17, signal lines connecting to antenna 221 to second port 232), and a port of the radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130) being coupled to the feed port (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130 connects to feed port 231 through signal routing device 230) and the port of the radar circuit (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130) is coupled to the additional feed port (see at least Fig. 17, signal port 130 connects to feed port 232 through signal routing device 230) the method comprising:
operating, by the radar circuit being in a combined operation mode, the first antenna with the additional antenna as parts of a single common antenna by (see at least [0188] – [0189]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213 and the common signal port 130 and to route the second signal portion 221 of the radar signal 10 between the common signal port 130 and both the second antenna elements 223 and the first antenna elements 213. Consequently, the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223. The first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223 are arranged in a way that the first radiating elements 213 form a first antenna array and that the second radiating elements 223 together with the first radiating elements 213 form a second antenna array with a narrower beam solid angle than the first antenna array.”); and
operating, by the radar circuit being in a separated operation mode, the first antenna independently from the additional antenna by routing an additional radar signal via the feed port (see at least [0188]; “The signal routing device 230 is configured to route the first signal portion 11 of the radar signal 10 only between the first antenna elements 213 and the common signal port 130 and to route the second signal portion 221 of the radar signal 10 between the common signal port 130 and both the second antenna elements 223 and the first antenna elements 213. Consequently, the antenna device 200 transduces radar signals in the first frequency band 31 only via the first radiating elements 213 and it transduces radar signals in the second frequency band 34 via both the first radiating elements 213 and the second radiating elements 223.).
However, the embodiment shown in Fig. 17 of Vollbracht only shows one feed port, not an additional feed port, and both antennas are coupled to that one feed port.
Additional embodiments of Vollbracht teach multiple feed ports (see Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, signal ports 131 and 132), with each feed port connected to an antenna 211 and an antenna 221. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to apply the antenna configuration of Vollbracht Fig. 17 to the feed port configuration of Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 14, as Fig. 17 represents one of many antenna variations taught by Vollbracht. Doing so would result in an antenna 211 and an antenna 221 being connected through different feed ports. In the combined mode taught regarding Fig. 17, the signals of these two antennas would still add coherently, as taught by Fig. 15 and [0183], where multiple antennas 211 add coherently and multiple antennas 221 add coherently.
Regarding claim 19, Vollbracht discloses the method of claim 18. The remaining limitations of claim 19 are analogous to those of claim 2 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 20, Vollbracht discloses the method of claim 18. The remaining limitations of claim 20 are analogous to those of claim 3 and are rejected for similar reasons.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vollbracht in view of Lander et al. (US-20250244467, hereinafter Lander).
Regarding claim 7, Vollbracht teaches the radar system of claim 6. However, Vollbracht does not teach:
wherein the filter section is configured as a stepped impedance filter.
Vollbracht discloses a radar device for automotive applications, and Lander is directed to a radar device for tracking UAV position by reading radar tags. Lander teaches:
wherein the filter section is configured as a stepped impedance filter (see at least [0041]; “Where the radar transmitter 210 produces transmissions with a significant second harmonic content, the transmitted second harmonic may interfere with detection of the second harmonic signal from the tag 220. In this case, the emission of the second harmonic may be reduced. For example, a frequency selective surface that passes the fundamental frequency but not the harmonic may be mounted across the radar horn, a stepped impedance filter may be added to the antenna waveguide feed to pass the fundamental frequency and block the second harmonic, electromagnetic shielding may be added to prevent harmonics escaping via the power and data systems. Any combination of these measures may be used.”).
Both Vollbracht and Lander teach filters for signals in waveguide networks that feed radar transmitters (see Vollbracht at least [0073] and Lander at least [0041]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the filter used in Vollbracht to be a stepped impedance filter as taught by Lander. One of ordinary skill would be motivated to use a stepped impedance filter in order to pass desired frequencies and block undesired frequencies, as recognized by Lander (see Lander at least [0041]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ashley B. Raynal whose telephone number is (703)756-4546. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 PM.
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/ASHLEY BROWN RAYNAL/Examiner, Art Unit 3648
/VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
Prosecution Insights