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 .
Priority
Examiner acknowledges no foreign priority is claimed.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 4/19/2024 and 5/14/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
Examiner’s Note on Restriction
Applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention. The Examiner notes that Applicant has presented three slightly differing systems claims, and that the Examiner has examined these claims as a single invention because the claims are obvious variants of each other. However, if future amendments to the claims or newly submitted claims are directed towards inventions that are independent or distinct form the invention originally claimed, the Examiner may review these claims in view of MPEP section 806 which is partially quoted below.
The general principles relating to distinctness or independence may be summarized as follows:
(A) Where inventions are independent (i.e., no disclosed relation there between), restriction to one thereof is ordinarily proper,
(B) Where inventions are related as disclosed but are distinct as claimed, restriction may be proper.
(C) Where inventions are related as disclosed but are not distinct as claimed, restriction is never proper.
(D) A reasonable number of species may be claimed when there is an allowable claim generic thereto.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
For applicant’s benefit portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Clavijo et al. (WO 2023/043765 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates “a radar control module (paragraph 10: design of mmWave radar or communication systems; paragraph 81: the open waveguide antenna can be specifically designed to allow for desired antenna radiation patterns; paragraph 85: trough waveguide antenna used in automobile radar applications), comprising:
a printed circuit board including a radio frequency port (Figure 37a: the through waveguide antenna comprises a signal port “port 1” at one of its end and is mounted to a PCB; paragraph 12: in printed circuit board based feed networks, the antenna is also typically formed on the PCB, and in waveguide structures, it is desirable to use a similar construction method to the way a waveguide is produced; paragraph 108: depicted are solder ball connections 6060 for electrically connecting the TWGA system 6000 to an underlying PCB (printed circuit board) (not shown), and an integrated RFIC (radio frequency integrated circuit) chip 6070);
a trough waveguide antenna mounted to the printed circuit board and having a base and a pair of sidewalls extending from the base, a fin extending from the base along a center region between the pair of sidewalls and an open side opposite the base (Figure 37a: the waveguide of Figure 37a comprises a bent portion, however, as all the waveguide figures of the application, it is based on the waveguide of Figure 1a…this figure shows the cross section of the waveguide which comprises: two sidewalls 1020, 1030, a base 500 and a fin: 1040 and an open area between the two sidewalls above the fin…the fin is centrally disposed between the two sidewalls; paragraph 97: exposed surfaces of the first sidewall 2020, the second sidewall 2030, and the septum 2040, are not parallel to each other along the length of the trough 2010, which when combined with an appropriate draft angle provides for manufacturing of the TWGA 2000 via a molding technique. In an embodiment, the septum 2040 has a height that is less than a height of either the first sidewall 2020 or the second sidewall 2030, as depicted in at least FIGS. IB and 1C. In an embodiment, the septum 2040 is centrally disposed between the first sidewall 2020 and the second sidewall 2030, however, it will be appreciated from other embodiments disclosed herein that variations on this construct are possible. In an embodiment, the first sequence of undulations 2052 alternate in elevation between the first curved path 2011 and the second curved path 2012, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010, and the second sequence of undulations 2062 alternate in elevation between the second curved path 2012 and the first curved path 2011, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010…as observed in the side view of FIG. 1C, the first curved path 2011 of the trough 2010 is a first waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2011) with alternating peaks and valleys, the first waveform 2011 being a composite of a first smooth waveform multiplied by a first square wave. Similarly, the second curved path 2012 of the trough 2010 is a second waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2012) with alternating peaks and valleys, the second waveform 2012 being a composite of a second smooth waveform multiplied by a second square wave),
wherein the trough waveguide antenna has a bend region in which a depth of the trough waveguide antenna is deeper on an interior of the fin in the bend region than a depth of the trough waveguide antenna on an exterior of the fin in the bend region (Figures 37a-b: 3D schematics of the waveguide of Figure 1a where the trough waveguide comprises two channels referred to in Figure 37b as 1050 and 1060…one of the channel has a base with a tapered portion which changes the height of the channel; paragraph 136: Figures 37A-D, in combination with Figure 32A, Figure 37A depicts a rotated isometric transparent view, and Figure 37B a top down plan view, of an open waveguide 1500 with a bend 1520 having modified floor (base) structure 1050, 1060 within the bend 1520, and Figures 37C and 37D depict related electromagnetic performance characteristics of Figures 37A and 37B…structural modifications are made to inner surfaces of the open waveguide, which affect the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance such that the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance are constant or substantially constant along a path of the bend…since the trough waveguide can be thought of as two open rectangular waveguides with a septum 1040 therebetween (see FIG. 1 for example), the waveguide on the outside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1060) will have a longer path to travel than the waveguide on the inside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1050)…as such, the two waveguide modes do not travel in phase along the bend, producing, each, small amounts of radiation, and arrive at the end of the bend out of phase from each other…if the outside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly increased or the inside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly decreased, then both guided waves will travel in phase with their corresponding radiation components cancelling each other…this is accomplished by slowly tapering the bottom surface (base) 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 between the septum 1040 and the corresponding side wall 1020, 1030, where the tapering profile will determine the most appropriate impedance as well as the correct compensating phase velocity…as depicted in Figure 37A, the bottom surface 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 on the outside of the bend 1520 is tapered upward from the septum 1040 toward the outside wall 1030…other taper profiles of either bottom surface 1050, 1060 of the trough 1010 may be suitably employed).”
Regarding claim 2, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the printed circuit board includes a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) for providing radio frequency signals to the radio frequency port (paragraph 85: a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) may be used to bring a signal to an input port of the TWGA).”
Regarding claim 3, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “a transition path from the radio frequency port to an end of the trough waveguide antenna (paragraph 136: the channel which has a lower depth (1060) comprise a tapered profile, Figure 37a shows that the tapering is disposed on both end sides of the bent region of the channel).”
Regarding claim 4, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the depth of the trough on the interior of the fin includes a transition region which gradually increases in depth at an end entering into the bend region (Figures 37 A-B; Figures 40A-C).”
Regarding claim 5, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the depth of the trough on the interior of the fin includes a transition region which gradually decreases in depth at an end exiting the bend region (Figures 37A-B; Figures 40A-C).”
Regarding claim 6, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the bend region includes a radiused 90 degree bend (Figure 37A).”
Regarding claim 7, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 1. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the depth of the trough waveguide antenna on the exterior of the fin has a constant depth along a length of the trough waveguide antenna (Figure 37a: the depth of channel 1050 has a constant depth through the length of the trough waveguide antenna).”
Regarding independent claim 8, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates “a radar control module (paragraph 10: design of mmWave radar or communication systems; paragraph 81: the open waveguide antenna can be specifically designed to allow for desired antenna radiation patterns; paragraph 85: trough waveguide antenna used in automobile radar applications), comprising:
a printed circuit board including a radio frequency port (Figure 37a: the through waveguide antenna comprises a signal port “port 1” at one of its end and is mounted to a PCB; paragraph 12: in printed circuit board based feed networks, the antenna is also typically formed on the PCB, and in waveguide structures, it is desirable to use a similar construction method to the way a waveguide is produced; paragraph 108: depicted are solder ball connections 6060 for electrically connecting the TWGA system 6000 to an underlying PCB (printed circuit board) (not shown), and an integrated RFIC (radio frequency integrated circuit) chip 6070);
a trough waveguide antenna mounted to the printed circuit board and having a base and a first sidewall and a second sidewall each extending from the base, a fin extending from the base along a center region between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and an open side opposite the base (Figure 37a: the waveguide of Figure 37a comprises a bent portion, however, as all the waveguide figures of the application, it is based on the waveguide of Figure 1a…this figure shows the cross section of the waveguide which comprises: two sidewalls 1020, 1030, a base 500 and a fin: 1040 and an open area between the two sidewalls above the fin…the fin is centrally disposed between the two sidewalls; paragraph 97: exposed surfaces of the first sidewall 2020, the second sidewall 2030, and the septum 2040, are not parallel to each other along the length of the trough 2010, which when combined with an appropriate draft angle provides for manufacturing of the TWGA 2000 via a molding technique. In an embodiment, the septum 2040 has a height that is less than a height of either the first sidewall 2020 or the second sidewall 2030, as depicted in at least FIGS. IB and 1C…the septum 2040 is centrally disposed between the first sidewall 2020 and the second sidewall 2030, however, it will be appreciated from other embodiments disclosed herein that variations on this construct are possible. In an embodiment, the first sequence of undulations 2052 alternate in elevation between the first curved path 2011 and the second curved path 2012, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010, and the second sequence of undulations 2062 alternate in elevation between the second curved path 2012 and the first curved path 2011, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010. In an embodiment, and as observed in the side view of FIG. 1C, the first curved path 2011 of the trough 2010 is a first waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2011) with alternating peaks and valleys, the first waveform 2011 being a composite of a first smooth waveform multiplied by a first square wave. Similarly, the second curved path 2012 of the trough 2010 is a second waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2012) with alternating peaks and valleys, the second waveform 2012 being a composite of a second smooth waveform multiplied by a second square wave),
a first channel is disposed between the first sidewall and the fin and a second channel is formed between the second sidewall and the fin (Figures 40AC), wherein the trough waveguide antenna includes a bend region in which the first channel is on an interior of the bend region and the second channel is on an exterior of the bend region (Figures 37a-b: 3D schematics of the waveguide of Figure 1a where the trough waveguide comprises two channels referred to in Figure 37b as 1050 and 1060…one of the channel has a base with a tapered portion which changes the height of the channel; paragraph 136: Figures 37A-D, in combination with Figure 32A, Figure 37A depicts a rotated isometric transparent view, and Figure 37B a top down plan view, of an open waveguide 1500 with a bend 1520 having modified floor (base) structure 1050, 1060 within the bend 1520, and Figures 37C and 37D depict related electromagnetic performance characteristics of Figures 37A and 37B…structural modifications are made to inner surfaces of the open waveguide, which affect the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance such that the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance are constant or substantially constant along a path of the bend…since the trough waveguide can be thought of as two open rectangular waveguides with a septum 1040 therebetween (see FIG. 1 for example), the waveguide on the outside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1060) will have a longer path to travel than the waveguide on the inside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1050)…as such, the two waveguide modes do not travel in phase along the bend, producing, each, small amounts of radiation, and arrive at the end of the bend out of phase from each other…if the outside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly increased or the inside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly decreased, then both guided waves will travel in phase with their corresponding radiation components cancelling each other…this is accomplished by slowly tapering the bottom surface (base) 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 between the septum 1040 and the corresponding side wall 1020, 1030, where the tapering profile will determine the most appropriate impedance as well as the correct compensating phase velocity…as depicted in Figure 37A, the bottom surface 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 on the outside of the bend 1520 is tapered upward from the septum 1040 toward the outside wall 1030…other taper profiles of either bottom surface 1050, 1060 of the trough 1010 may be suitably employed) and a depth of the first channel is deeper in the bend region than a depth of the second channel in the bend region (Figures 37a and 37b, which disclose two channels 1050 and 1060, where channel 1050 is deeper in the bend region than channel 1060).”
Regarding claim 9, which is dependent on independent claim 8, and which has the same limitation as claim 2, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 2.
Regarding claim 10, which is dependent on independent claim 8, and which has the same limitation as claim 3, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 3.
Regarding claim 11, which is dependent on independent claim 8, and which has the same limitation as claim 4, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 4.
Regarding claim 12, which is dependent on independent claim 8, and which has the same limitation as claim 5, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 5.
Regarding claim 13, which is dependent on independent claim 8, and which has the same limitation as claim 6, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 6.
Regarding claim 14, which is dependent on independent claim 8, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates the radar control module of claim 8. Clavijo et al. (‘765) further anticipates “the depth of the second channel has a constant depth along a length of the trough waveguide antenna (Figure 37a: the depth of channel 1050 has a constant depth through the length of the trough waveguide antenna).”
Regarding independent claim 15, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates “a radar control module (paragraph 10: design of mmWave radar or communication systems; paragraph 81: the open waveguide antenna can be specifically designed to allow for desired antenna radiation patterns; paragraph 85: trough waveguide antenna used in automobile radar applications), comprising:
a printed circuit board including a radio frequency port (Figure 37a: the through waveguide antenna comprises a signal port “port 1” at one of its end and is mounted to a PCB; paragraph 12: in printed circuit board based feed networks, the antenna is also typically formed on the PCB, and in waveguide structures, it is desirable to use a similar construction method to the way a waveguide is produced; paragraph 108: depicted are solder ball connections 6060 for electrically connecting the TWGA system 6000 to an underlying PCB (printed circuit board) (not shown), and an integrated RFIC (radio frequency integrated circuit) chip 6070);
a trough waveguide antenna mounted to the printed circuit board and having a base and a first sidewall and a second sidewall each extending from the base, a fin extending from the base along a center region between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and an open side opposite the base (Figure 37a: the waveguide of Figure 37a comprises a bent portion, however, as all the waveguide figures of the application, it is based on the waveguide of Figure 1a…this figure shows the cross section of the waveguide which comprises: two sidewalls 1020, 1030, a base 500 and a fin: 1040 and an open area between the two sidewalls above the fin…the fin is centrally disposed between the two sidewalls; paragraph 97: exposed surfaces of the first sidewall 2020, the second sidewall 2030, and the septum 2040, are not parallel to each other along the length of the trough 2010, which when combined with an appropriate draft angle provides for manufacturing of the TWGA 2000 via a molding technique. In an embodiment, the septum 2040 has a height that is less than a height of either the first sidewall 2020 or the second sidewall 2030, as depicted in at least FIGS. IB and 1C. In an embodiment, the septum 2040 is centrally disposed between the first sidewall 2020 and the second sidewall 2030, however, it will be appreciated from other embodiments disclosed herein that variations on this construct are possible. In an embodiment, the first sequence of undulations 2052 alternate in elevation between the first curved path 2011 and the second curved path 2012, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010, and the second sequence of undulations 2062 alternate in elevation between the second curved path 2012 and the first curved path 2011, from left-to-right as observed in FIG. 1C, along the length of the trough 2010. In an embodiment, and as observed in the side view of FIG. 1C, the first curved path 2011 of the trough 2010 is a first waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2011) with alternating peaks and valleys, the first waveform 2011 being a composite of a first smooth waveform multiplied by a first square wave. Similarly, the second curved path 2012 of the trough 2010 is a second waveform (also herein referred to by reference numeral 2012) with alternating peaks and valleys, the second waveform 2012 being a composite of a second smooth waveform multiplied by a second square wave),
a first channel is disposed between the first sidewall and the fin and a second channel is formed between the second sidewall and the fin (Figures 40AC), wherein the trough waveguide antenna includes a bend region in which the first channel is on an interior of the bend region and the second channel is on an exterior of the bend region (Figures 37a-b: 3D schematics of the waveguide of Figure 1a where the trough waveguide comprises two channels referred to in Figure 37b as 1050 and 1060…one of the channel has a base with a tapered portion which changes the height of the channel; paragraph 136: Figures 37A-D, in combination with Figure 32A, Figure 37A depicts a rotated isometric transparent view, and Figure 37B a top down plan view, of an open waveguide 1500 with a bend 1520 having modified floor (base) structure 1050, 1060 within the bend 1520, and Figures 37C and 37D depict related electromagnetic performance characteristics of Figures 37A and 37B…structural modifications are made to inner surfaces of the open waveguide, which affect the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance such that the phase velocity and/or waveguide impedance are constant or substantially constant along a path of the bend…since the trough waveguide can be thought of as two open rectangular waveguides with a septum 1040 therebetween (see FIG. 1 for example), the waveguide on the outside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1060) will have a longer path to travel than the waveguide on the inside of the bend 1520 (represented inf FIG. 37B by the related base reference numeral 1050)…as such, the two waveguide modes do not travel in phase along the bend, producing, each, small amounts of radiation, and arrive at the end of the bend out of phase from each other…if the outside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly increased or the inside waveguide’s phase velocity is slowly decreased, then both guided waves will travel in phase with their corresponding radiation components cancelling each other…this is accomplished by slowly tapering the bottom surface (base) 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 between the septum 1040 and the corresponding side wall 1020, 1030, where the tapering profile will determine the most appropriate impedance as well as the correct compensating phase velocity…as depicted in Figure 37A, the bottom surface 1060 of the waveguide trough 1010 on the outside of the bend 1520 is tapered upward from the septum 1040 toward the outside wall 1030…other taper profiles of either bottom surface 1050, 1060 of the trough 1010 may be suitably employed) and
a depth of the first channel is deeper in the bend region than a depth of the second channel in the bend region (Figures 37a and 37b, which disclose two channels 1050 and 1060, where channel 1050 is deeper in the bend region than channel 1060) and
the depth of the second channel has a constant depth along a length of the trough waveguide antenna (Figure 37a: the depth of channel 1050 has a constant depth through the length of the trough waveguide antenna).”
Regarding claim 16, which is dependent on independent claim 15, and which has the same limitation as claim 2, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 2.
Regarding claim 17, which is dependent on independent claim 15, and which has the same limitation as claim 3, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 3.
Regarding claim 18, which is dependent on independent claim 15, and which has the same limitation as claim 4, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 4.
Regarding claim 19, which is dependent on independent claim 15, and which has the same limitation as claim 5, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 5.
Regarding claim 20, which is dependent on independent claim 15, and which has the same limitation as claim 6, Clavijo et al. (‘765) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 6.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Clavijo et al. (US 2025/0070482 A1) describes a waveguide antenna system, having: an electromagnetic, EM, transition portion having a transition region having a signal feed interface and an open waveguide section, the EM transition portion configured to couple EM energy from the signal feed interface to a guided waveguide mode of EM energy to the open waveguide section via the transition region…a leaky waveguide antenna portion configured and disposed to radiate electromagnetic energy received from the open waveguide section…the EM transition portion is electromagnetically coupled to the leaky waveguide antenna portion, the EM transition portion being configured to support a transfer of electromagnetic energy from a signal feed structure to the leaky waveguide antenna portion (paragraph 28); an open waveguide signal feed system, having: a printed circuit board having a signal feed and a signal feed output; an open waveguide having a signal feed input port; a transition region disposed between and in signal communication with the signal feed output and the signal feed input port; wherein the signal feed comprises a microstrip, a coplanar waveguide, or a strip line…the signal feed output comprises a patch or a probe (paragraph 31).
Shi (US 2020/136225 A1) describes relates to a radar assembly, and more particularly relates to a transition-feature configured through a printed-circuit-board of the radar assembly, where the transition-feature is characterized as a slot that extends between an arrangement of solder-balls on a monolithic-microwave-integrated-circuit (MMIC) and the ridge-air-waveguide of the radar assembly (paragraph 1); with the termination ends of the antenna-elements 20 sized as described above and arranged directly over the MMIC 12, which in this example is about ten-millimeters on a side, it is possible to avoid the added expense and complexity of using a high-frequency substrate to provide for a means to distribute radar signals from the relatively small area of the MMIC 12 to a larger area necessitated by the antenna-elements 20 not having or being based on or distributed by one or more instances of the ridge-air-waveguide 24. To complete the connection between the MMIC 12 and the antenna-element 20, the PCB 18 includes a transition-feature 28 configured to couple radar-signals between the arrangement 14 of solder-balls 16 and the ridge-air-waveguide 24 of the antenna-element 20…the transition-feature 28 is an air-waveguide that is characterized as a slot, and the slot extends between the arrangement 14 of solder-balls 16 and the ridge-air-waveguide 24…Figure 6 illustrates a non-limiting example of a sectional end-view of an embodiment of the assembly 10 that suggests the relationship between the transition-feature 28, the ridge-air-waveguide 24, and the radiation-slots 22 (paragraph 26).
Walter et al. (US 3015100 A) describes utilization of a special waveguide structure as a means for radiating energy to the surrounding space and involves the use of elements within the waveguide structure for controlling the guide wavelength or phase velocity and/or radiation intensity or attenuation rate in the waveguide…control of these parameters in effect enables the obtained of any desired controlled radiation patterns…a trough waveguide of either rectangular channel shape, U-shape, V-shape or variations thereof having a symmetrically disposed fin therein comprises the transmission line which is modified to produce the controlled radiation (column 1 lines 11-25).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NUZHAT PERVIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9795. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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/NUZHAT PERVIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648