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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 09/19/2025, with respect to claim 8 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of claim 8 has been withdrawn.
The Remarks of 09/18/20255 have been fully considered but are not persuasive for the reasons below.
The rejection of claims 1, 4-7, 11, and 15-18 and under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over Clavijo (US20250070482; hereinafter Clavijo) in view of Yu (WO2023103180; hereinafter Yu) is maintained. On page 3 of the remarks, applicant argues that the radiused roof of Yu (WO 2023/103180) does not terminate directly into the waveguide antenna, but instead has a lengthy horizontal wall structure between the radiused portion and the waveguide antenna. Yu does not motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to modify Clavijo ‘482 to include a radiused roof that terminates at the end of the trough waveguide, but instead to have an elongated transition structure between the curved portion and waveguide. Examiner respectfully disagrees. First, while the specification discloses that the radiused roof is directly connected to the waveguide antenna, the claims only recite “wherein the transition path includes a sidewall structure that transitions a vertical path into a curved path that directs the transition path horizontally relative to the printed circuit board and into the end of the trough waveguide antenna, wherein the sidewall structure includes a radiused roof” which requires only that the roof and waveguide are in communication (which is true of Yu). Second, if the claims were amended to recite that the radiused rood was directly connected to the waveguide, this is still taught by Clavijo (see fig. 13 in which 6200 directly terminates into 2000) and Yu is merely teaching to make the waveguide transition curved as opposed to angular. The rejection of claim 1, 4-7, 11, and 15-18 as unpatentable over Clavijo in view of Yu is, therefore, maintained.
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 1-3, 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Clavijo in view of Yu.
Regarding claim 1, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “A radar control module, comprising: a printed circuit board (6050) including a radio frequency port (6100); a trough waveguide antenna (2000) mounted to the printed circuit board and having a base (500) and a pair of sidewalls (2020/2030) extending from the base and an open side opposite the base; and a transition path (6200/6230/6255) extending vertically relative to the printed circuit board and extending from the radio frequency port and in communication with an end of the trough waveguide antenna (see fig. 12), wherein the transition path includes a sidewall structure that transitions a vertical path into a curved path that directs the transition path horizontally relative to the printed circuit board and into the end of the trough waveguide antenna (fig. 16A shows a 90 degree bend from 6150 to the TWGA and fig. 21 shows 6200 with a vertical section and 6257 with a horizontal section), wherein the sidewall structure includes a first wall (6257/6256) extending vertically downward from an end of the base (fig. 16A-18 and 21), wherein the sidewall structure includes a second wall (wall opposite to 6257/6256) parallel to and spaced from the first wall (see fig. 16A-18 and 21) and third and fourth walls (side walls of transition structure in 21) extending between opposite respective edges of the first and second walls, wherein the roof extends from an upper end of the second wall toward the end of the trough waveguide antenna (fig. 16 roof is a bend from 6150 to TWGA that extends down from the upper end)”.
Clavijo does not disclose that the roof is radiused.
However, Yu teaches a waveguide transition structure (3) with a radiused roof in fig. 2.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Yu and make Clavijo’s radar control module wherein the sidewall structure includes a radiused roof, in order to change the direction of the radio wave without as much loss a 90 degree bend.
Regarding claim 2, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 1, wherein the trough waveguide antenna includes a center fin (2040) extending from the base”.
Regarding claim 3, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 2, wherein the center fin is parallel to the pair of sidewalls (see fig. 2B)”.
Regarding claim 8, Clavijo discloses “The radar control module according to claim 7, wherein the third and fourth walls are aligned with the pair of sidewalls of the trough waveguide antenna (see fig. 21 all four walls are aligned)”.
Regarding claim 9, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 1, wherein the transition path has a width equal to a width between the pair of sidewalls (fig. 21 shows 6275 transition matching with the sidewalls)”.
Regarding claim 10, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board includes a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) for providing radio frequency signals to the radio frequency port (6070 in fig. 12-13)”.
Regarding claim 11, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “A radar control module, comprising: a printed circuit board (6050) including a radio frequency port (6100); a trough waveguide antenna (2000) mounted to the printed circuit board and having a base (500) and a pair of sidewalls (2020/2030) extending from the base and an open side opposite the base; and a transition structure (6200/6230/6255) extending from an end of the trough waveguide antenna and in communication with the radio frequency port, wherein the transition structure includes a sidewall structure (6200), the sidewall structure includes a first wall (6257/6256) extending vertically downward from an end of the base, the sidewall structure includes a second wall (opposite wall to 6257/6256) parallel to and spaced from the first wall and third and fourth walls (side walls between first and second) extending between opposite respective edges of the first and second walls, the roof extends from an upper end of the second wall and terminates at the end of the trough waveguide antenna (fig. 13)”.
Clavijo does not disclose that the roof is radiused.
However, Yu teaches a waveguide transition structure (3) with a radiused roof in fig. 2.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Yu and make Clavijo’s radar control module wherein the sidewall structure includes a radiused roof, in order to change the direction of the radio wave without as much loss a 90 degree bend.
Regarding claim 12, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board includes a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) for providing radio frequency signals to the radio frequency port (6070 in fig. 12-13)”.
Regarding claim 13, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 11, wherein the trough waveguide antenna includes a center fin (2040) extending from the base”.
Regarding claim 14, Clavijo (figs. 1-2, 11-12, and 16-21) discloses “The radar control module according to claim 13, wherein the center fin is parallel to the pair of sidewalls (see fig. 2B)”.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 AUSTIN MICHAEL BACK whose telephone number is (703)756-4521. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM ET.
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/AUSTIN M BACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIEU HIEN T DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845