DETAILED NON-FINAL OFFICE 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 .
Comments
The drawings of September 10, 2024 are hereby accepted as FORMAL.
The information disclosure statements (IDS) of September 10, 2024 and of October 24, 2024 have been considered during examination.
Please note that any mention of a line number of a claim in this office action refers to the claims as they appear in the official claim listing in the image file wrapper (IFW).
Claim Interpretation
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 1-10 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” in each of claims 1-10 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “high” 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. It is unclear in the context of the claims what frequencies are “high.”
On lines 7-8 of independent claim 1, the phrase, “relative dielectric constant of 2 or more and 6 or less” is indefinite and unclear in context as to what is meant by this use of two ranges together. If the intended meaning is that the range is between 2 and 6, then the claim language must be amended to state that clearly. Substantially the same remarks apply to the use of two ranges together on lines 2-3 of claim 2, on line 2 of claim 6, and, on line 2 of claim 7.
On line 12 of claim 1, it is unclear what is meant in context by “10 m.” If 10 meters is meant, then that must be clearly stated.
On line 12 of claim 1, “10 m or less” is indefinite and unclear in that it is an open-ended range. What is the lower endpoint of this range ?
On line 2 of claim 5, “T1 [mm]” is indefinite and unclear in context due to the parenthetical matter. Is it intended that T1 may only be measured in millimeters ? Substantially the same remarks apply to the use of T1 on line 3 of claim 7..
On line 5 of claim 5, “f [Hz]” is indefinite and unclear in context due to the parenthetical matter. Is it intended that f may only be measured in Hertz (i.e., excluding Megahertz and so on) ? Substantially the same remarks apply to the use of f on line 6 of claim 7.
On lines 5-6 of claim 5, “c [mm/s]” is indefinite and unclear in context due to the parenthetical matter. Is it intended that c may only be measured in millimeters per second ? Substantially the same remarks apply to the use of c on lines 6-7 of claim 7.
On line 2 of dependent claim 10, the phrase, “the object is a person or a material body held by a person” is indefinite and unclear in context in that: (1) a “person” in the usual and ordinary sense is not an “object,” and, (2) the phrase may be taken to mean “a material body” held by” an object. Is the “material body” an “object”?
Each of dependent claims 2-9 is unclear, at least, in that it depends from unclear, independent claim 1.
Potentially-Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 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.
Claims 2-10 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Prior Art of General Interest
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ho (‘093) is of general interest for the disclosure concerning ferrite plates in the walls of an anechoic chamber for radio-frequency testing.
Hirata et al (‘998) is of general interest for Figure 1 and for lines 9-13 of paragraph [0051], disclosing an absorber in the floor.
Each of Grimes et al (‘152) and Meinke et al (‘107) is of general interest for the disclosed radio-frequency absorber with a layered structure.
Each of Brabant (‘762); Goldman et al (‘663); Ohkado et al (‘379); Kishigami (‘337); Yan et al (‘009); Schenkel (‘326); and, Overholser (‘175) is of general interest for the disclosure related to the use of a direct path and of an indirect path for a signal.
Vidmar et al (‘446) is of general interest for the disclosure related to an anechoic chamber for testing with absorbing of electromagnetic waves.
Woode (‘361) is of general interest for Figure 1 and the related disclosure.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BERNARR E GREGORY whose telephone number is (571)272-6972. The examiner can normally be reached on Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm eastern time.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vladimir Magloire, can be reached at telephone number 571-270-5144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERNARR E GREGORY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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