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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 20, 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the Preliminary Amendment filed on June 20, 2024. Accordingly, claims 1-7 are currently pending in the application.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Seyama et al. (WO 2021124393 A1).
Seyama et al. teaches a dielectric spectrometry device comprising:
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With regard to claim 1, a dielectric spectroscopy sensor (FIG. 2, dielectric spectroscopy measuring device 201) to be connected to a dielectric spectroscopy system (FIG. 2, high frequency measuring device 202, arithmetic device 203, and display device 204) having a first characteristic impedance, the dielectric spectroscopy sensor (FIG. 2, dielectric spectroscopy measuring device 201) comprising: a transmission line (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, device body 101 and probe 102) whose first end (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, the end connecting dielectric spectroscopy measuring device 201 to high frequency measuring device 202) has the first characteristic impedance and second end (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, detection end 102a) has a second characteristic impedance, wherein the first end (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, the end connecting dielectric spectroscopy measuring device 201 to high frequency measuring device 202) is connected to the dielectric spectroscopy system (FIG. 2, high frequency measuring device 202, arithmetic device 203, and display device 204), and the second end (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, detection end 102a) serves as a measurement surface for measuring a dielectric constant of a measurement target object (target substance to be measured) (For more details, please read: Abstract; paragraphs:[0014]-[0022], [0025]-[0028], [0037]-[0038] and [0046]-[0047]; and claims 1-11). In addition, it is noted that the feature upon which applicant relies (1.e., “a second characteristic impedance is different from the first characteristic impedance”) is just an inherent feature of any transmission line in a non-ideal case due to impedance mismatch (if the load impedance ZL at one end does not exactly match the cable’s characteristic impedance Z0, signals will reflect back toward the source. These reflections combine with the original signal to create a total voltage and current ratio that varies along the length of the line), line length (the input impedance seen at the source end varies depending on the physical length of the line and the frequency of the signal) and standing wave (when there is a mismatch, standing waves form. This causes the impedance to fluctuate between high and low values at different points along the cable). The impedance mismatch issue has been recognized and is discussed in the paragraph [0013] of the instant application under examination.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seyama et al. in view of Lin et al. (TW I805131 B).
Seyama et al. teaches all that is claimed as discussed in the rejections of claim 1 above including the transmission line (FIG. 2 in view of FIG. 1, device body 101 and probe 102) and a connection line, but it does not specifically teach the following feature:
an impedance converter; the connection line has the first characteristic impedance as a characteristic impedance, has one end as the first end, and has the other end connected to the impedance converter; and the impedance converter has one end having the first characteristic impedance and connected to the other end of the connection line and has the other end having the second characteristic impedance and serving as the second end.
Lin et al. teaches a device for measuring a broadband complex permittivity of a material-under-test comprising:
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With regard to claim 2, a transmission line (FIG. 1, transmission line 4) includes a connection line (FIG. 1, connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) and an impedance converter (FIG. 1, impedance mismatch section 6); the connection line (FIG. 1, connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) has the first characteristic impedance (FIG. 1, first characteristic impedance Zct) as a characteristic impedance, has one end as the first end (FIG. 1, left end of the connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1), and has the other end (FIG. 1, right end of the connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) connected to the impedance converter (FIG. 1, impedance mismatch section 6); and the impedance converter (FIG. 1, impedance mismatch section 6) has one end having the first characteristic impedance (FIG. 1, first characteristic impedance Zct) and connected to the other end (FIG. 1, right end of the connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) of the connection line (FIG. 1, connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) and has the other end (FIG. 1, right end of the connection line between generating/receiving unit 3 and first interface IF1) having the second characteristic impedance (FIG. 1, first characteristic impedance Zch) and serving as the second end (Paragraphs: [0022]-[0033]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the dielectric spectrometry device of Seyama et al. to use a transmission line including a connection line and an impedance converter as taught by Lin et al. since such an arrangement is beneficial to ensure maximum power transfer and minimum signal reflection between the dielectric spectroscopy system and the measurement target object that have different native impedances. Such an implementation can significantly increase the effectiveness of dielectric spectrometry device with desirable levels of accuracy, resolution, stability and reliability in the measurements in a wider frequency range coefficient.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-7 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. Applicants’ attention is invited to the followings whose inventions disclose similar devices.
Hayashi et al. (US 2021/0341498 A1) teaches a blood-clotting-system analysis apparatus.
Nakamura et al. (JP 6196191 B2) teaches a measuring apparatus for measuring a sample by dielectric spectroscopy.
Suster et al. (KR 20180103944 A) teaches a dielectric microsensor for determining properties of a sample.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571) 272-2170. The examiner can normally be reached MON-THURS (7:00 AM - 5:00 PM).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, LEE E. RODAK can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2858
/HOAI-AN D. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858