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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 5 is missing the text descriptions in each of the flow chart squares. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informality:
Claim 8, line 8, the examiner suggests rewriting “the second dimension extending along a third axis” to --the second dimension extending along a second axis-- to provide a more proper description (in light of the specification, it is clear that the recited “first” dimension is associated with a “first” axis, the recited “second” dimension is associated with a “second axis” and the recited “third” dimension is associated with a “third” axis).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Naichang et al. (CN114188686A, Cited by Applicant, Machine English Translation Provided by Applicant).
In regards to claim 16, Naichang teaches in Figs. 1 and Annotated Fig. 3 below a method of emitting RF energy through a waveguide (7), the method comprising:
Transmitting electrical energy into an input element (1) of a dual-probe microstrip (1,3-6);
Passing the electrical energy from the input element into a base member (Annotated Element A) of the dual-probe microstrip;
Guiding the electrical energy from the base member into a first probe member (6) and a second probe member (5) that extend from the base member (Annotated Element A), the first probe member being spaced from the second probe member; and
Inducing a phase difference via tuning member stub (Annotated Element T) between the electrical energy flowing through the first probe member (6) and the electrical energy flowing through the second probe member (5) to generate the RF energy emitted through the waveguide (based on Page 4, First Paragraph of the provided machine English translation, the inducted currents of the first and second probe members are superimposed in a T-junction of the dual-probe microstrip, thus the tuning member will be out of phase due to the tuning member stub length).
In regards to claim 17, based on Annotated Fig. 3, wherein inducing the phase difference includes creating a 180° difference between the electrical energy flowing through the first probe member (6) and the electrical energy flowing through the second probe member (6) [based on Page 4, First Paragraph of the provided machine English translation, both probe members have a respective tuning member stubs, Annotated Elements T1 and T2, which are facing opposite to each other, therefore the phase difference between the members will necessarily be 180 degree).
In regards to claim 18, based on Annotated Fig. 3, wherein inducing the phase difference includes passing the electrical energy flowing through the first probe member through a tuning member (Annotated Element T1) that extends towards and is spaced from the second probe member (5).
In regards to claim 19, based on annotated Fig. 3, wherein inducing the phase difference passing the energy through first and second 90° bends formed in the first probe member (6) and a third 90° bend formed in the second probe member (5) [based on annotated Fig. 3, the first probe member includes two 90º bends, Annotated Bends B1 and B2, and the second probe member includes two 90º bends, Annotated Bends B3 and B4].
In regards to claim 20, based on Annotated Fig. 3, wherein passing the energy from the input element (1) into the base member (Annotated Element A) includes directing the electrical energy through a matching stub (3) that joins the input element to the base member.
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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, 2, 7-9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naichang et al. (CN114188686A, Cited by Applicant, Machine English Translation Provided by Applicant) in view of Artemenko et al. (US2018/0358677 A1).
In regards to claims 1 and 8, Naichang teaches in Figs. 1 and Annotated Fig. 3 above a system (microstrip to waveguide transition) comprising:
A control printed circuit board (PCB) (2) formed from a plurality of layers (substrate and metal layers), the PCB including a recess (area between stub members 5 and 6);
A waveguide (Fig. 1: 7) attached to the PCB over the recess, the waveguide including a chamber having a chamber wall (walls of waveguide 7) defining a waveguide channel, the waveguide channel having a first dimension (Fig. 1: X direction, left to right), a second dimension (Fig. 1: Y direction, perpendicular to X direction) that is less than the first dimension, and third dimension (Fig. 1: Z direction, vertical up and down), the first dimension extending along a first axis (X direction), the second dimension extending along a second axis (Y direction), and the third dimension (Z direction) extending along a third axis, the first axis and second axis extending substantially parallel to the PCB and the third axis extending substantially perpendicular to the PCB; and
A planar dual-probe microstrip transition arranged in the recess, the planar dual-probe microstrip transition comprising:
An input element (1) connectable to a source of electrical energy;
A base member (Annotated Element A) connected to the input element, the base member including a first end (Annotated End A1), a second end (Annotated End A2), and an intermediate portion (center portion of Annotated Element A);
A first probe member (6) extending from the base member (Annotated Element A), the first probe member including a first end portion (Annotated Element C1) connected to the first end of the base member and a second end portion (Annotated Element C2);
A second probe member (5) extending from the base member (Annotated Element A) substantially parallel relative to and spaced from the first probe member, the second probe member including a first end section (Annotated Element D1) joined to the second end of the base member and a second end section (Annotated Element D2) that is cantilevered from the base member; and
A tuning member (Annotated Element T1) extending from the second end portion (Annotated Element C2) of the first probe member toward the second end section of the second probe member, the tuning member establishing a phase difference between electrical energy flowing through the first probe member and electrical energy flowing through the second probe member (based on Page 4, First Paragraph of the provided machine English translation, the inducted currents of the first and second probe members are superimposed in a T-junction of the dual-probe microstrip, thus the tuning member will be out of phase due to the tuning member stub length).
In regards to claims 2 and 9, based on annotated fig. 3, wherein the tuning member (Annotated Element T1) includes a first end segment joined to the second end of the first probe member and a second end segment that is spaced from the second end section (Annotated Element D2) of the second probe member.
In regards to claims 7 and 14, based on annotated Fig. 3, a matching stub (3) provides an interface between the input element (1) and the base member (Annotated Element A).
Naichang et al. does not teach: in regards to claims 1 and 8, wherein the system is an automative radar system.
Artemenko et al. teaches in Fig. 1 a system for converting a microstrip to waveguide transition. Based on Paragraph [0002], the system can be used in an automobile radar.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the invention of Naichang et al. and have used the system of Naichang et al. in an automobile radar as exemplary taught by Artemenko et. al. (See Paragraph [0002]) because such a modification would have provided the benefit of providing a microstrip to waveguide transition for an automobile radar system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 10-13 and 15 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE L SALAZAR JR whose telephone number is (571)-272-9326. The examiner can normally be reached between 9am - 6pm Monday-Friday.
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/JORGE L SALAZAR JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843