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 July 31, 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 9 is 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.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the reflection panels" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if this limitation is referring to a previous limitation or a new limitation.
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)(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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Camargo (US Patent No. 4342033 A).
Regarding claim 1, Camargo discloses (Fig. 6-7) An electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7), comprising: a reflection panel (11) configured to reflect radio waves of a desired band selected from a frequency band of 1 GHz to 170 GHz (col. 7, lines 50-56); a frame (16, 17) configured to hold the reflection panel (11); a leg (12) configured to support the frame (16, 17); and a height adjustment mechanism (18) configured to adjust a height of the reflection panel (11), the height adjustment mechanism (18) being provided on at least one of the frame or the leg.
Regarding claim 2, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 8 and 12) wherein the frame (20) includes, a side frame (side frame of 20) configured to hold a side end of the reflection panel (11a), a top frame (top frame of 20) configured to hold an upper end of the reflection panel (11a), and a bottom frame (bottom frame of 20) configured to hold a lower end of the reflection panel (11a), and the height adjustment mechanism (23) is provided, at a corner between the side frame (side frame of 20) and the top frame (top frame of 20), or at a corner between the side frame (side frame of 20) and the bottom frame (bottom frame of 20), to adjust a height position of the reflection panel (11a).
Regarding claim 3, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 6-7) wherein the frame (16, 17) includes a side frame (16) configured to hold a side end of the reflection panel that is along a height direction of the reflection panel (11), and the height adjustment mechanism (18) is provided between the leg (12) and the side frame (16), to adjust a height position of the reflection panel.
Regarding claim 4, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 5-6) wherein the height adjustment mechanism (16) is a rail that is engaged with the leg (12, 17), and the leg (12, 17) is slidably engaged with the rail and fixed at a predetermined position along a longitudinal direction of the rail (col. 7, lines 3-7).
Regarding claim 5, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 4 and 6) wherein the frame (12, 17) includes a side frame (12, 17) configured to hold a side end of the reflection panel (11) that is along a height direction of the reflection panel, and the side frame (12, 17) includes a slit (slit in 17) that receives the side end of the reflection panel (11), and a hollow (hollow of 12) that does not communicate with the slit (slit in 17).
Regarding claim 6, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 6-7) wherein the side frame includes a slit (slit in 17) that receives the side end of the reflection panel (11), and a hollow that does not communicate with the hollow (hollow of 12).
Regarding claim 7, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 6-7) wherein the height adjustment mechanism (18) is provided on the frame (16, 17), and a part of the frame (16) that holds the reflection panel (11) has a same cross-sectional structure as a part of the frame (16) where the height adjustment mechanism (18) is provided.
Regarding claim 8, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 6-7) wherein the height adjustment mechanism (18) is provided on the frame (16, 17), and a part of the frame (16) that holds the reflection panel (11) has a different cross-sectional structure than a part of the frame (17) where the height adjustment mechanism (18) is provided.
Regarding claim 9, Camargo further discloses (Fig. 6-7 and 19b) An electromagnetic wave reflection fence (Fig. 19b), comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic wave reflection devices (Fig. 19b) each being the electromagnetic wave reflection device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic wave reflection devices (Fig. 19b) are connected in a width direction of the reflection panel (11), and height positions of a plurality of the reflection panels (11) are aligned by the height adjustment mechanism.
Regarding claim 10, Camargo discloses (Fig. 6-7) An installation method of an electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7), the installation method comprising: assembling the electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7) by holding, by a frame (16, 17), a reflection panel (11) configured to reflect radio waves of a desired band selected from a frequency band of 1 GHz to 170 GHz (col. 7, lines 50-56); installing the electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7) on an installation surface; and adjusting a height position of the reflection panel (11) relative to the installation surface by a height adjustment mechanism (18) provided in the electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Camargo discloses (Fig. 6-7 and 19b) An installation method of an electromagnetic wave reflection fence (Fig. 19b), the installation method comprising: assembling the electromagnetic wave reflection fence (Fig. 19b) configured to reflect radio waves of a desired band selected from a frequency band of 1 GHz to 170 GHz (col. 7, lines 50-56), by connecting a first electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7) including a first reflection panel (11) and a second electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7) including a second reflection panel (11) by a frame (16, 17); installing the electromagnetic wave reflection fence (Fig. 19b) on an installation surface; and adjusting height positions of the first reflection panel (11) and the second reflection panel (11) relative to the installation surface by using a height adjustment panel (11) provided in the first electromagnetic wave reflection device or the second electromagnetic wave reflection device (Fig. 7).
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONCHAN J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-3204. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/YONCHAN J KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2845