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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/20/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
Claim 1 is amended. Claim 2 is cancelled. Claims 7-11 and 18-20 are withdrawn. Claims 1, 3-6 and 12-17 are examined herein.
Status of Previous Rejections
The rejection of claims 1, 3-4, 6, 12-13 and 15-16 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP’454 (JP 2012-036454, IDS dated 05/14/2024), have been withdrawn in view of the applicants’ amendment.
The rejection of Claims 5, 14 and 17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP’454 (JP 2012-036454, IDS dated 05/14/2024), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of JP’371 (JP2016-003371A) have been withdrawn in view of the applicants’ amendment.
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 1, 3-6 and 12-17 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.
The term “high-frequency” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high-frequency” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Please define what frequency is high-frequency and explain the meaning of “W10/400” to improve claim clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-6 and 12-17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Method Claims
In order to join the method claims, the applicants are advised to amend claim 7 to incorporate all the limitations from claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Xiaowei Su whose telephone number is (571)272-3239. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:00.
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/XIAOWEI SU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1733
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