Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/646,376

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES IN ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES MEASUREMENT DEVICE

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Apr 25, 2024
Examiner
LUQUE, RENAN
Art Unit
2896
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allow Rate
409 granted / 525 resolved
+9.9% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+17.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
18 currently pending
Career history
543
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.3%
-38.7% vs TC avg
§103
44.8%
+4.8% vs TC avg
§102
29.2%
-10.8% vs TC avg
§112
12.7%
-27.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 525 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/5/2024, and 9/29/2025 was in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claim(s) 7 is/are objected to because of the following informalities: In claim(s) 7, line 1+, “the the”, was recited perhaps - - . Appropriate correction is required. 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 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 of this title, 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. Claim(s) 1-7, and 11-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak (KR 20190058143 A) in view of Correas-Serrano (US 20210408656 A1). With regards to claim 1. Kwak disclose(s): An apparatus for controlling electromagnetic waves in an electromagnetic wave measurement device (figs 1-5), the apparatus comprising: a transmitting antenna (104; fig 1; [lines 13-21 in page 3]) configured to generate electromagnetic waves Kwak does not disclose(s): the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture; wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode. Correas-Serrano teaches: the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture (134; figs 11a-11c; [0058]); wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode [0059]. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the device/method/system of Kwak by implementing the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture; wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode as disclosed by Correas-Serrano in order to test an antenna with improved signal integrity as taught/suggested by Correas-Serrano ([0076]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the known technique of controlling electromagnetic waves in an electromagnetic wave measurement device of Kwak to the know device of transmitting antenna Correas-Serrano of yielding the predictable result of measuring characteristics of a transmitting antenna. With regards to claim 2. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 1, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the transmitting antenna radiates a beam transitioned from a normal mode to the high-order mode [0059]. With regards to claim 3. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 1, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein, when the transmitting antenna transitions from the normal mode to the high-order mode according to an input frequency, the transmitting antenna radiates a plurality of beams having different directions [0059, 0072]. With regards to claim 4. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 1, Kwak further disclose(s): wherein, when generating a beam Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the transmitting antenna generating a beam in the high-order mode [0059]. With regards to claim 5. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 1, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein, when transitioning from a normal mode to the high-order mode, an aperture size of the transmitting antenna is increased and the transmitting antenna has a predetermined angle (see 134 in fig 10a). With regards to claim 6. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 5, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the predetermined angle is formed to be different depending on the high-order mode to be converted (figs 6-7; [0051]). With regards to claim 7. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The apparatus of claim 6, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the the high-order mode represents a mode that occurs according to an operating frequency [0059]. With regards to claim 11. Kwak disclose(s): A method for controlling electromagnetic waves in an electromagnetic wave measurement device (figs 1-5), the method comprising: process of generating, by a transmitting antenna (104; fig 1; [lines 13-21 in page 3]), electromagnetic waves Kwak does not disclose(s): the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture; wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode. Correas-Serrano teaches: the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture (134; figs 11a-11c; [0058]); wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode [0059]. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the device/method/system of Kwak by implementing the transmitting antenna configured to generate electromagnetic waves through an aperture; wherein the transmitting antenna generates a beam by a high-order mode as disclosed by Correas-Serrano in order to test an antenna with improved signal integrity as taught/suggested by Correas-Serrano ([0076]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the known technique of controlling electromagnetic waves in an electromagnetic wave measurement device of Kwak to the know device of transmitting antenna Correas-Serrano of yielding the predictable result of measuring characteristics of a transmitting antenna. With regards to claim 12. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 11, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the transmitting antenna radiates a beam transitioned from a normal mode to the high-order mode [0059]. With regards to claim 13. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 11, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein, when the transmitting antenna transitions from the normal mode to the high-order mode according to an input frequency, the transmitting antenna radiates a plurality of beams having different directions [0059, 0072]. With regards to claim 14. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 11, Kwak further disclose(s): Kwak further disclose(s): wherein, when generating a beam Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the transmitting antenna generating a beam in the high-order mode [0059]. With regards to claim 15. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 11, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein, when transitioning from a normal mode to the high-order mode, an aperture size of the transmitting antenna is increased and the transmitting antenna has a predetermined angle (see 134 in fig 10a). With regards to claim 16. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 15, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the predetermined angle is formed to be different depending on the high-order mode to be converted (figs 6-7; [0051]). With regards to claim 17. Kwak as modified disclose(s): The method of claim 16, Correas-Serrano further discloses: wherein the the high-order mode represents a mode that occurs according to an operating frequency [0059]. Allowable Subject Matter Claim(s) 8-10, and 18-20 is/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. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Rowell (US 20190313266 A1) discloses: a measurement system as well as a method for testing a device under test. PNG media_image1.png 332 308 media_image1.png Greyscale Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RENAN LUQUE whose telephone number is (571)270-1044. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM. 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, Jessica Han can be reached on 571-272-2078. 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. /RENAN LUQUE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 25, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604381
BOOST-BASED POWER FACTOR CORRECTION WITH CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12603431
ANTENNA ELEMENT AND ANTENNA ARRAY
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12604390
Method, Apparatus and Use of an Apparatus for Producing a Plasma-Activated Liquid
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12593386
LIGHTING SYSTEM HAVING LINKAGE-TYPE SENSING MECHANISM
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12586761
FAST TUNING RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) MATCHING NETWORK
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+17.6%)
2y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 525 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month