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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 12, 18, & 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites, “wherein the aperture to allows terahertz frequency waves…,” in ll. 1-2, recommend rephrasing to read “wherein the aperture allows terahertz frequency waves…,”.
Claim 12 recites, “…and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections…” in line 2, recommend rephrasing to read “…and the pleated blinds help alleviate a risk of reflections…”.
Claim 18 recites, “…and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections…” in ll. 11-12, recommend rephrasing to read “…and the pleated blinds help alleviate a risk of reflections…”.
Claim 20 recites, “…for different deflection angles configurations …” in line 3, recommend rephrasing to read “…for different deflection angle configurations…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 2 & 18-20 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.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "…from a device under test…" in line 2, which was previously disclosed in claim 1 in line 5. The repeated recitation of “…a device under test…,” introduces indefiniteness for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, Examiner interprets “…from a device under test…” to refer to the previously disclosed “…a device under test…” in claim 1.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “moving a thermal/radiation shield between a first portion…” in line 9, which was previously disclosed in claim 18 in line 6. The repeated recitation of “...a thermal/radiation shield…” introduces indefiniteness for this limitation in the claim. For examination purposes, Examiner interprets “…moving a thermal/radiation shield…” to refer to the previously disclosed “…a thermal/radiation shield between…” in claim 8. Claims 19-20, which do not rectify the defect, are rejected by virtue of dependence to independent claim 18.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “…in the XY plane by moving…” in line 2, without previous disclosure, resulting in a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim For examination purposes, Examiner interprets this limitation to read as “…in an XY plane by moving…”. Claim 20, which does not rectify the defect, is rejected by virtue of dependence to claim 19.
Claim 20 recites the limitation “…the XYZ plane scanner system…” in line 3, without previous disclosure, resulting in a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim For examination purposes, Examiner interprets this limitation to read as “…an XYZ plane scanner system…”.
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.
Claims 1, 5, & 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Snow et al. (US 2023/0014966 A1, Pub. Date Jan. 19, 2023, hereinafter, Snow), in view of Schmidt et al. (US 2018/0090837 A1, Pub. Date Mar. 29, 2018, hereinafter, Schmidt), in view of Simmons et al. (US 2017/0205446 A1, Pub. Date Jul. 20, 2017, hereinafter, Simmons), in view of Amini (US 2022/0051122 A1, Pub. Date Feb. 17, 2022, hereinafter, Amini), and further in view of Anderson et al. (US 2022/0196716 A, Pub. Date Jun. 23, 2022, hereinafter, Anderson).
Regarding independent claim 1, Snow teaches:
A vacuum chamber comprising ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]: provides the vacuum chamber and testing chamber environment):
a testing chamber ([0008], [0069], [0156]-[0163], [0180], [0184]-[0185], [0197], [0201], [0205], [0216]-[0218], [0221], [0236], [0256], [0286], [0319], [0336], [0361], [0367]-[0368], [Claim 1], [Claim 14], & [Claim 24]: discloses an “outer housing 124” that defines a vacuum chamber, enclosing a “test zone 113” bounded by a “test zone casing 104”;
Snow, is silent in regard to:
an X, Y, Z scanner system located in the testing chamber with a radio frequency probe mounted on a top portion of the X, Y, Z scanner system;
a cylindrical thermal shroud to house a device under test, wherein the cylindrical thermal shroud is configured as an anechoic chamber; and
a movable thermal/radiation shield between the testing chamber and the cylindrical thermal shroud, wherein the movable thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds and an aperture that moves with the device under test.
However, Schmidt, further teaches:
an X, Y, Z scanner system located in the testing chamber with a radio frequency probe mounted on a top portion of the X, Y, Z scanner system ([Abstract], [0002], [0004], [0007]-[0008], [0010], [0018]-[0020], [0034]-[0042], [0045], [0047]-[0049], [0052], [0055], [Claim 1], & [Claim 20]: discloses a multi-axis articulated robot 14 (X, Y, Z scanner) with a sensor suite 16 containing an antenna array probe 24 (RF probe) mounted);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic wafer testing system of Snow by incorporating a multi-axis articulated robot with a mounted radio frequency antenna probe and configuring the test zone casing with RF microwave absorbers as taught by Schmidt. Schmidt teaches utilizing a 6-axis robot acting as a spatial scanner to move an antenna array probe and lining the testing environment with RF absorbers to prevent unwanted reflections. The motivation to incorporate Schmidt’s robotic scanner and microwave absorbers would be to enable precise, automated radio frequency characterization of a device under test while eliminating signal-degrading electromagnetic reflections. Utilizing a known-multi-axis robotic scanner and anechoic microwave absorbers within a cryogenic testing chamber constitutes a substitution of one known automated scanning and shielding technique for another to yield predictable variations and predictably improve testing accuracy (KSR).
However, Snow, in combination with Schmidt, further teach:
a cylindrical thermal shroud to house a device under test, (Snow: [0156], [0160]-[0169], [0171]-[0172], [0175], [0177], [0184]-[0187], [0189], [0192]-[0201], [0203]-[0205], [0218]-[0219], [0250], [0254]-[0255], [0276], [0282], [0291]-[0295], [0297]-[0298], [0309], [0311], [0319], [0321], [0369], [Claim 1], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], [Claim 14], [Claim 22], & [Claim 29]: teaches the cylindrical thermal shroud, disclosing a test zone casing 104 made of “thermal shielding material” having a “circular/cylindrical shape” that houses the wafer 127/device under test ; Schmidt: [0022], [0040] & [0046]: teaches covering chamber surfaces with RF microwave absorbers 36 to prevent unwanted RF reflections, creating an anechoic configuration); and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic wafer testing system of Snow by incorporating a multi-axis articulated robot with a mounted radio frequency antenna probe and configuring the test zone casing with RF microwave absorbers as taught by Schmidt. Schmidt teaches using a 6-axis robot to move an RF probe array and lining the environment with RF absorbers to prevent unwanted reflections. The motivation for this modification would be to enable precise, automated radio frequency characterization of devices under test while eliminating signal-degrading electromagnetic reflections. Implementing a known-multi-axis robotic scanner and microwave absorbers into a cryogenic testing chamber constitutes a substitution of one known automated scanning and shielding technique into another to yield predictable variations and improve testing accuracy (KSR).
However, Anderson, further teaches:
wherein the cylindrical thermal shroud is configured as an anechoic chamber ([0046], [0327], & [0620]: discloses configuring testing environments inside anechoic chambers for RF measurements)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the vacuum chamber and cylindrical thermal shroud of Snow by incorporating the anechoic chamber configuration taught by Anderson. Anderson discloses an atom-based raster scanner utilizing RF probes within an anechoic testing environment. The motivation for this modification would be to enable high-resolution near-field RF phase and amplitude measurements of the device housed within the thermal shroud. Integrating anechoic materials into a testing chamber is a known technique to improve similar devices by eliminating unwanted signal reflections during RF characterization. This modification represents a predictable variation and substitution of established antenna measurement instrumentation into standard vacuum testing, yielding expected predictable results and improving testing accuracy (KSR).
However, Snow, in combination with Schmidt, Simmons, and Amini, further teach:
a movable thermal/radiation shield between the testing chamber and the cylindrical thermal shroud, wherein the movable thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds and an aperture that moves with the device under test (Snow: [Abstract], [0042], [0095], [0193]-[0196], [0198], [0200], [0284]-[0285], [0301]-[0302], [0306], [0311], [0320], [0324]-[0325], [0329], [0369], [Claim 1], [Claim 3], [Claim 4], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], & [Claim 14]: discloses a compliant bellows 308 acting as a shield element that features pleated sides; Schmidt: [Abstract], [0040]-[0041], [0052], [Claim 6], & [Claim 7]: discloses a movable shield 30 with an aperture 42; Simmons: [Abstract], [0001], [0007]-[0008], [0016], [0022]-[0038], [0041]-[0043], [0049]-[0050], [0058]-[0060], [0064]-[0066], [0078]-[0079], [0082]-[0089], [0092], [0096]-[0105], [0118]-[0119], [0121]-[0124], [0126]-[0133], [0156], [0161]-[0164], [0166], [0168], [Claim 1], [Claim 5], [Claim 6], [Claim 7], [Claim 8], [Claim 9], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: provides the mechanism of the pleated metallic bellows tracking/translating with the aperture and DUT, disclosing a shielding structure 200 taking the form of a metallic bellows 240 that translates with the manipulator through an aperture 34; Amini: [Abstract], [0002], [0008]-[0010], [0018], [0022], [0029], [0033], [0036]-[0044], [0047], [0050], [0052], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 8], [Claim 10], [Claim 13], & [Claim 14]: provides additional thermal shield and movable aperture, teaches a cold finger 340 capping volume shielding the DUT).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the combined Snow and Schmidt testing system by utilizing a shielding structure taking the form of a metallic bellows that translates with the robotic manipulator through an aperture, as taught by Simmons. Simmons discloses a pleated metallic bellows that operatively translates with a moving probe assembly to shield an enclosed volume. The motivation to incorporate the moving bellows shield of Simmons would be to restrict fluid flow and maintain environmental isolation without inducing friction or physical contact on the moving scanning mechanisms. Utilizing a dynamic bellows represents the application of a known technique to improve similar devices by allowing spatial adjustments while maintaining controlled, shielded internal testing volume. A POSITA would further enhance the shielding of the combined testing system by incorporating a suspended cryogenic cold finger to cap the testing volume, as taught by Amini. Amini discloses a cold finger forming a capping volume over a device under test to act as an isolated shield. The motivation to incorporate Amini’s cold finger capping volume would be to reduce outgassing from surrounding testing materials by forcing outgassed particles to bounce off the cryogenic surfaces before reaching the testing zone. Adding this cryogenic shield represents a predictable variation of known vacuum chamber configurations to achieve enhanced environmental purity and thermal isolation during sensitive operations (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 5, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: an intermediate eighty (80) Kelvin shroud on an outside portion of the cylindrical thermal shroud.
However, Snow, in combination Amini, further teach:
further comprising: an intermediate eighty (80) Kelvin shroud (Snow: [0197] & [0343]: discloses a thermal buffer casing 125 that creates a thermal buffer zone surrounding the test zone and that the thermal buffer casing is configured to be maintained at a temperature between 35-80 K; Amini: [0040]-[0042]: discloses a cryogenic shield 350 surrounding the cold finger that is cooled to “about 40K (in practice this temperature can range up to about 3 times the 40K)”) on an outside portion of the cylindrical thermal shroud (Snow: [0197]-[0203] & [0343]: discloses that the thermal buffer casing 125 (intermediate shroud) is configured concentrically around and encloses the test zone casing 104 (cylindrical thermal shroud); Amini: [0040]-[0042]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to configure the thermal buffer casing of Snow to operate at an intermediate eighty (80) Kelvin temperature, as Snow, corroborated with Amini, teach maintaining this shroud at a temperature between 35-80 K. Snow teaches the thermal buffer casing encloses the outside portion of the test zone casing. The motivation for selecting 80 Kelvin from the disclosed range would be to maximize the cooling load efficiency and reduce operational costs of the cryogenic system while providing thermal buffering from the ambient exterior environment. Selecting the 80 Kelvin endpoint from the disclosed temperature range of 35-80 K represents the application of a known technique to improve similar devices, yielding the expected predictable results of a thermally optimized vacuum chamber (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 9, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0003], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0160], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
wherein the device under test is an antenna.
However, Schmidt, further teaches:
wherein the device under test is an antenna ([0003], [0016]-[0022], [0034]-[0055], [Claim 1], [Claim 6], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], [Claim 14], [Claim 15], [Claim 16], [Claim 17], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: discloses that the DUT is a RF scanner system is used to characterize active phased array antennas).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to utilize the vacuum chamber testing system of Snow for the characterization of an antenna as the device under test, as taught by Schmidt. Schmidt discloses automated RF scanner systems configured to characterize active phased array antennas under controlled temperature conditions. The motivation for this modification would be to perform accurate, automated characterization of RF antenna performance, such as beam pattern matching and cross-polarization isolation, within a controlled, isolated testing environment. Utilizing an established environmental testing chamber to house and measure an antenna device under test constitutes a substitution of one DUT type for another, which is a known technique to improve the performance and reliability of similar testing systems, and yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Simmons, in view of Amini, in view of Anderson, and further in view of Osamu et al. (US 2016/0091545 A1, Pub. Date Mar. 31, 2016, hereinafter, Osamu).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, in combination with Simmons, are silent in regard to:
wherein the aperture to allows terahertz frequency waves from a device under test to pass through the movable thermal/radiation shield and into the testing chamber.
However, Schmidt, Amini, and Tajima, in combination, further teach:
wherein the aperture to allows terahertz frequency waves from a device under test to pass through the movable thermal/radiation shield and into the testing chamber (Schmidt: [0002] & [0040]-[0041]: teaches RF testing “above 100 GHz” through an aperture 42; Amini: [0036]: discloses a window or hole 347 allowing laser beams to pass through the shield to the DUT; Osamu: [0059], [0077], & [0089]: discloses a radio wave measurement device targeting “radio waves of 3 THz or less” and configuring the system as a “terahertz wave measurement device by replacing the radio wave-transparent material with a terahertz frequency range-transparent material” to allow waves to pass through the window and shield filters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the shielded vacuum testing chamber and aperture combination of Snow and Amini by adapting the aperture and shielding materials to transmit terahertz frequency waves, as taught by Osamu. Osamu teaches a vacuum measurement device configured as a terahertz wave measurement device that transmits waves up to 3 THz through a window and internal shielding structures. The motivation for this modification would be to enable sensitive, high frequency non-contact measurements of the device under test within the isolated cryogenic environment. Utilizing a terahertz-transparent aperture in a shielded vacuum chamber constitutes the application of a known technique to improve similar devices, yielding the predictable benefit of expanding the testing apparatus’s frequency range to accommodate next-generation terahertz electronics components (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 3, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
wherein a first side of the movable thermal/radiation shield is coated with radio frequency absorbent material
However, Schmidt, further teaches:
wherein a first side of the movable thermal/radiation shield is coated with radio frequency absorbent material ([Abstract], [0040]-[0041], [0052], [Claim 6], & [Claim 7]: discloses a movable shield 30 configured as a shutter having a front surface 32 (first side) that is covered with RF microwave absorbers 36)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the movable thermal/radiation shield of Snow by coating a first side of the shield with a radio frequency absorbent material, as taught by Schmidt. Schmidt teaches a movable shield having a front surface (first side) that is covered with RF microwave absorbers. The motivation to incorporate Schmidt’s RF absorbent coating onto the first side of Snow’s movable shield would be to prevent unwanted electromagnetic signal reflections from interfering with sensitive antenna measurements during operation. Applying a known RF absorbing material to the interior-facing side of a movable thermal shield represents the substitution of one known shielding technique for another to improve similar devices. This modification yields the expected predictable results of a controlled testing environment that simultaneously manages thermal loads and eliminates signal-degrading RF interference (KSR).
Snow, in combination with Schmidt, are silent in regard to:
and a second side of the movable thermal/radiation shield is coated with multilayer insulation.
However, Schmidt, in combination with Osamu, further teach:
and a second side of the movable thermal/radiation shield is coated with multilayer insulation (Schmidt: [0040]: teaches the back surface34 (second side) is devoid of RF microwave absorbers 36; Osamu: [0010], [0020], [0042], [0053], [0056], [0066]-[0067], & [0080]: discloses the use of vacuum multi-layer insulation (MLI) applied to the walls/surfaces of radiation shields in cryogenic vacuum vessels to provide thermal insulation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the movable thermal/radiation shield of Snow by coating its first side with a radio frequency absorbent material, as taught by Schmidt, and coating its second side with multi-layer insulation (MLI), as taught by Osamu. Schmidt teaches a movable shield having a front surface covered with RF microwave absorbers, and Osamu teaches the application of vacuum multi-layer insulation (MLI) to cryogenic thermal shields. The motivation for this modification would be to simultaneously prevent unwanted electromagnetic signal reflections within the testing chamber and maximize the thermal isolation of the cryogenic environment from external radiant heat. Applying known RF absorbers to the interior-facing side and known MLI to the exterior-facing side of a movable thermal shield represents the substitution of known insulating and absorbing materials to improve similar devices, yielding the expected predictable results of an isolated testing environment (KSR).
Claims 4 & 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Simmons, in view of Amini, in view of Anderson, and further in view of Tsironis (US 11506708 B1, Pat. Date Nov. 22, 2022, hereinafter, Tsironis).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: a counterweight system to unload the X, Y, Z scanner system from the testing chamber.
However, Schmidt, in combination with Tsironis, further teach:
further comprising: a counterweight system to unload the X, Y, Z scanner system from the testing chamber (Schmidt: [0037]: teaches the multi-axis articulated robot 14 (X, Y, Z scanner); Tsironis: [Abstract], [Col. 1, ll. 35-40], [Col. 2, ll. 41-58], [Col. 3, ll. 51-60], [Col. 5, ll. 27-33 & 48-54], [Col. 7, ll. 36-45], [Claim 1], [Claim 4], & [Claim 5]: discloses a counter-weight 57 attached to a rotating disc to maintain balance of the system by keeping the center of gravity CG constant. Applies the counterweight to a 3-axis positioner 501 to prevent tilting and structural stress during probe movements).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the vacuum testing chamber and X, Y, Z scanner system combination of Snow and Schmidt by incorporating a balancing counterweight system, as taught by Tsironis. Tsironis teaches adding a mobile counterweight to a 3-axis positioner to maintain a constant center of gravity and balance the assembly during movement. The motivation for this modification would be to prevent mechanical tilting and relieve uneven physical stress from the testing chamber and positioning structure during scanning operations. Applying a known mechanical counterweight system to unload the axes of a robotic testing scanner constitutes the application of a known technique to improve similar devices, yielding the expected predictable results of a stable, balanced testing environment that protects delicate components (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 5 ([Abstract], [0001], [0005], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: a data acquisition system to collect data during testing of the device under test.
However, Snow, in combination with Tsironis, further teach:
further comprising: a data acquisition system to collect data during testing of the device under test (Snow: [0003], [0154], [0157], [0174], [0194], [0223]-[0224], & [0270]: discloses a computer control system that performs data collection and controls testing processes via external devices and further discloses a computerized controller for operation of the apparatus and coordinating data collection therefrom; Tsironis: [Col. 1, ll. 35-56], [Col. 3, ll. 10-16], [Col. 4, ll. 3-28], [Col. 8, ll. 6-26 [Claim 4], & [Claim 5]: teaches a control computer and system computer used to measure S-parameters and perform data analysis)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the testing apparatus of Snow by integrating a control computer system for automated data acquisition, as taught by Tsironis. Tsironis discloses a control computer and system controller configured to measure S-parameters, characterize the DUT, and save these measurements into data files for subsequent analysis. The motivation for this integration is to replace manual data recording with an automated acquisition system that improves measurement reproducibility, testing speed, and overall data reliability. Implementing such a control computer system represents a substitution of automated data collection methods into the existing vacuum chamber testing apparatus, which is a known technique to improve the efficiency and quality of similar devices and yield the expected predictable results (KSR).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Simmons, in view of Amini, in view of Anderson, in view of Brunner (US 2004/0145383 A1, Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2004, hereinafter, Brunner), and further in view of Balas (US 2021/0381893 A1, Pub. Date Dec. 9, 2021, hereinafter, Balas).
Regarding dependent claim 6, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, in combination with Schmidt, Simmons, and Amini, are silent in regard to:
further comprising: a device under test alignment system that includes pentaprisms and mirrors.
However, Brunner, in combination with Balas, further teach:
further comprising: a device under test alignment system that includes pentaprisms and mirrors (Brunner: [Abstract], [0015], [0079]-[0080], [0128], [0135]-[0136], [Claim1], [Claim 6], [Claim 17], [Claim 19], [Claim 21], [Claim 32], [Claim 34], [Claim 35], [Claim 36], [Claim 37], [Claim 39], [Claim 40], [Claim 42], & [Claim 50]: teaches an optical positioning and alignment system for a device under test (substrate 140/displays 301) relative to an optical axis using a beam divider 912 and camera 916; Balas: [0029], [0034]-[0036], [0059], [0073], [0094], & [0099]: teaches an optical system utilizing a pentaprism (“penda-prism”) beam divider and mirrors (flat-mirror coated surface/polychroic mirror).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the vacuum testing chamber of Snow by incorporating the optical device positioning system of Brunner, and further modifying the beam divider of Brunner to utilize the pentaprism and mirror configuration taught by Balas. Brunner teaches an optical positioning system for a device under test using a beam divider, and Balas teaches a beam divider utilizing a pentaprism and mirrors. The motivation to incorporate the pentaprism and mirror configuration of Balas into the optical alignment system of Brunner would be to keep the direction of the emerging beam unaffected by prism tilting, which would simplify the design and reduce volume and cost. Applying a known stable pentaprism and mirror beam divider to an optical positioning system represents the substitution of one known optical element for another to improve similar devices, yielding the expected predictable results of a stable and cost-effective device under test alignment system (KSR).
Claims 7 & 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Simmons, in view of Amini, in view of Anderson, and further in view of Cummings et al. (US 2025/0224441 A1, Fil. Date Apr. 15, 2022, hereinafter, Cummings).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0174], [0203], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0308], [0341], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: a thermos regulation system that distributes and regulates a flow of a liquid/gaseous nitrogen mixture.
However, Snow, in combination with Cummings, further teach:
further comprising: a thermos regulation system that distributes and regulates a flow of a liquid/gaseous nitrogen mixture (Snow: [0174], [0203], [0308], & [0341]: teaches a heat exchanger with liquid nitrogen flowed through coils; Cummings: [0017], [0032], [0064], [0069], [0072], [0077]-[0078], [0081], [0089], & [0118]-[0120]: teaches the use of a two-phase convection loop using nitrogen and entails the distribution and regulation of a liquid/gaseous nitrogen mixture during phase transition).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic cooling system of Snow by replacing or supplementing the single-phase exchanger coils with the two-phase nitrogen convection loop system taught by Cummings. Cummings teaches the use of convection loops with cryogens such as nitrogen that undergo phase transitions to provide effective thermal transfer. The motivation for this modification would be to achieve improved effective thermal conductance and vibration isolation compared to traditional liquid-only cooling, which is a known advantage in cryogenic, high-precision, wafer testing environments. Combining Snow’s vacuum chamber with Cummings’ two-phase nitrogen distribution systems represents the substitution of one known, superior thermal management technique into an existing testing system to achieve predictable improvements in efficiency. This implementation constitutes a known technique to improve similar devices by leveraging the thermodynamic properties of a two-phase nitrogen mixture for high-performance precision cooling and yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 10, Snow teaches:
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1 ([Abstract], [0001], [0005], [0010], [0156]-[0157], [0174], [0203], [0224], [0226]-[0227], [0236], [0308], [0341], [0354], [0359], [0367], & [0369]),
Snow, is silent in regard to:
wherein the anechoic chamber
However, Anderson, further teaches:
wherein the anechoic chamber [0046], [0327], & [0620]: discloses an performing microwave measurement and imaging inside anechoic chambers)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the vacuum testing chamber of Snow by incorporating the anechoic chamber configuration taught by Anderson. Anderson teaches an atom-based raster scanner utilizing RF probes within an anechoic testing environment. The motivation for this modification is to enable high-resolution near-field RF phase and amplitude measurements of the device housed within the thermal shroud, such as the one described by Snow, for the requirements of RF antenna performance measurements like beam pattern analysis. Integrating Andersons anechoic materials into a testing chamber is a known technique to improve the performance of similar devices. This combination allows for the characterization of antenna systems in a stable, vacuum-insulated (anechoic chamber) testing environment, a desirable and logical advancement in RF testing technology, to yield the predictable expected results (KSR).
Snow, in combination with Schmidt, are silent in regard to:
is cooled to about four (4) Kelvin.
However, Cummings, further teaches:
is cooled to about four (4) Kelvin (Figs. 1C & 1D; [0006], [0010], [0031], [0054]-[0056], [0068], [0072]-[0074], [0080], [0082], [0109], & [0116]: discloses an inner chamber maintained at less than five degrees Kelvin and labels 4K regions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the vacuum testing chamber of Snow and Anderson by incorporating the cryogenic cooling system taught by Cummings to reach an operating temperature of about 4 Kelvin. Snow and Anderson provide the necessary vacuum environment for RF antenna testing, while Cummings discloses a vacuum testing chamber maintained at a 4 Kelvin operating stage. The motivation for this modification would is to enable the testing of superconducting antenna arrays or low-temperature electronic components, which require cryogenic cooling to 4 Kelvin for optimal performance. Configuring an existing vacuum chamber to reach 4 Kelvin represents the substitution of a cryogenic cooling technique known to be effective for sensitive electronics into an existing testing apparatus. This approach is a known technique to improve similar devices, yielding the predictable expected results of high-sensitivity, low-noise RF antenna characterization at cryogenic temperatures (KSR).
Claims 11 & 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson, in view of Snow, in view of Schmidt, and further in view of Cummings.
Regarding independent claim 11, Anderson teaches:
A system for cryogenic near field beam pattern measurement at terahertz frequencies, comprising ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]: discloses a Rydberg high-speed, high resolution MMW 2D near-field imager used for near-field RF phase and amplitude measurement and imaging at terahertz frequencies):
wherein the terahertz testing facility includes: an anechoic chamber ([0046], [0327], & [0620])
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
a terahertz testing facility; and
a support structure for the terahertz testing facility,
that includes an antenna under test;
a thermal/radiation shield between the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber, wherein the thermal/radiation shield thermally separates the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber, wherein during testing of the antenna under test, the environment inside the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber is a vacuum environment.
However, Snow, in combination with Cummings, further teach:
a terahertz testing facility (Snow: [Title], [0001], [0003], [0007]-[0008], [0010]-[0012], [0014]-[0016], [0043], [0167], [0172], [0204], [0221], [0223], [0279]-[0281], & [0368]: establishes the apparatus as a facility for the testing of electronic components in a controlled environment and refers to the architectural setup of the wafer testing systems of the invention; Cummings: [0003] & [0062]-[0065]: discloses the facility’s purpose for testing superconducting and low-temperature circuitry; establishes the physical layout of the testing facility, disclosing a complete wafer testing system that includes a two-stage pulse tube refrigeration unit to achieve cryogenic temperatures); and
a support structure for the terahertz testing facility (Snow: [0008], [0049], [0069]-[0070], [0156]-[0160], [0163]-[0169], [0171]-[0173], [0175], [0180], [0184]-[0187], [0193], [0195]-[0201], [0203], [0205], [0216]-[0219], [0221], [0236], [0250], [0253]-[0256], [0267], [0276], [0279], [0282], [0286], [0291]-[0295], [0297]-[0298], [0305]-[0309], [0311], [0317], [0319], [0321], [0326], [0328]-[0329], [0332]-[0343], [0353], [0361], [0367]-[0369], [0371], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 4], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], [Claim 14], [Claim 15], [Claim 16], [Claim 17], [Claim 22], [Claim 23], [Claim 24], & [Claim 29]: discloses the outer housing 124 that provides the primary structural boundary and support for the vacuum chamber testing facility and the structural configuration of the internal testing zones, including the test zone casing 104 and the structural thermal buffer casing 125 that surrounds and supports the isolated testing area; Cummings: [0069] & [0071]: discloses a support structure configuration where “a set of thermally insulating constraints 350 links the motion controlling the platform of the positioning stage 306 to a wafer-holding, evaporator cooled chuck 360” and defines the facility’s physical support mechanisms, stating that “insulating constraints 328 connect the fixed heat shields 309, 310 to the inner structure of the outer vacuum chamber,” and that these supports can be fabricated from “structural materials”),
a thermal/radiation shield between the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber, wherein the thermal/radiation shield thermally separates the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber (Snow: [0010], [0013], [0042], [0156], [0164], [0166], [0170], [0190], [0197]-[0199], [0205], [0250], [0252]-[0253], [0255], [0262], [0276], [0292], [0307], [0309], [0316], [0321], [0335], [0341]-[0342], [Claim 1], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], & [Claim 14]: discloses a thermal buffer casing 125 surrounding the test zone casing 104; Cummings: Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010], [0019], [0053]-[0055], [0062]-[0063], [0066], [0068]-[0070], & [0073]-[0074]: discloses “Active Heat Shields” isolating inner and outer chamber zones), wherein during testing of the antenna under test, the environment inside the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber is a vacuum environment (Snow: [0010], [0013], [0042], [0156], [0164], [0166], [0170], [0190], [0197]-[0199], [0205], [0250], [0252]-[0253], [0255], [0262], [0276], [0292], [0307], [0309], [0316], [0321], [0335], [0341]-[0342], [Claim 1], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], & [Claim 14]: discloses a vacuum chamber surrounding the testing zones; Cummings: [0010], [0019], [0053]-[0055], [0062]-[0063], [0066], [0068]-[0070], & [0073]-[0074]: discloses a vacuum chamber surrounding the testing zones).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the terahertz near-field measurement system of Anderson by incorporating the vacuum chamber testing facility and thermal shielding taught by Snow and corroborated by Cummings. Snow teaches an outer vacuum housing surrounding a test zone separated by a thermal buffer casing. The motivation for this modification is to provide a stable, thermally isolated testing environment that protects delicate measurement components from external environmental interferences and thermal degradation. Integrating a known vacuum chamber and thermal shielding structure into Anderson’s near-field measurement apparatus constitutes a substitution of one known environmental control technique for another. Further, modifying the combination of Anderson and Snow by incorporating the cryogenic cooling mechanisms taught by Cummings, who discloses a cryogenic vacuum testing system utilizing a nitrogen cooled heat exchanger to regulate internal chamber temperatures. The motivation for this combination is to achieve efficient and cost-effective cryogenic cooling necessary for evaluating low-temperature or superconducting antenna circuitry under test. Applying Cummings” liquid nitrogen cooling infrastructure to the vacuum testing facility of Anderson and Snow represents the application of a known technique to improve similar devices. This combination of prior art references predictably results in a testing environment capable of reaching the extreme thermal parameters required for specialized high-frequency antenna characterization and stable, interference-free electromagnetic testing in a facility, yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Anderson, in combination with Snow, are silent in regard to:
cooled by liquid nitrogen
a testing chamber that includes a scanning module; and
However, Cummings, further teaches:
cooled by liquid nitrogen ([0070], [0073]-[0074], & [0118])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the combination of Anderson and Snow by incorporating the cryogenic cooling mechanisms taught by Cummings. Cummings discloses a cryogenic vacuum testing system utilizing a nitrogen cooled heat exchanger to regulate the internal chamber temperatures. The motivation for this combination is to achieve efficient and cost-effective cryogenic cooling necessary for evaluating low-temperature or superconducting antenna circuitry under test. Applying Cumming’s liquid nitrogen cooling infrastructure to the vacuum testing facility of Anderson and Snow represents the application of a known technique to improve similar devices. This combination predictably results in a testing environment capable of reaching the extreme thermal parameters required for specialized high-frequency antenna characterization, yielding predictable expected results of high-sensitivity, low-noise RF antenna characterization at cryogenic temperatures (KSR).
However, Anderson, in combination with Schmidt, further teach:
that includes an antenna under test (Anderson: [0003], [0038]-[0039], [0046], [0189]-[0190], [0197]-[0198], [0207], [0210], [0272]-[0273], 0277], [0279]-[0280], [0282]-[0289], [0291]-[0294], [0303], [0327], [0331]-[0332], [0370], [0374]-[0376], [0381], [0387], [0390], [0398], [0403], [0428], [0448], [0450], [0488]-[0489], [0497], [0499], [0505]-[0506], [0509], [0515]-[0516], [0525], [0532], [0534], [0539], [0553], [0556], [0560], [0564], [0567], [0571], [0575], [0614], [0620], & [0670]: discloses measuring electromagnetic fields emitted from “one or more sources (e.g., an antenna, antenna array, etc.)”; Schmidt: [0003], [0016]-[0022], [0034]-[0055], [Claim 1], [Claim 6], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], [Claim 14], [Claim 15], [Claim 16], [Claim 17], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: discloses characterizing active phased array antennas);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the terahertz near-field measurement system of Anderson, by configuring the device under test to be a specific antenna structure, as taught by the combination of Anderson and Schmidt. Anderson discloses measuring electromagnetic fields emitted from sources such as an antenna or an antenna array using a spatial scan, and Schmidt teaches the testing and characterization of active phased array antennas within an isolated scanning chamber environment. The motivation to configure the terahertz testing facility to specifically test an antenna array is to accurately characterize its near-field beam patterns, phase, and amplitude emissions, ensuring optimal RF performance and signal directionality. Incorporating specific antenna structures as the target in a near-field electromagnetic scanning facility represents a substitution of one known device under test for another. This implementation is a known technique to improve similar devices by allowing for the precise, automated characterization of complex RF antenna systems, yielding expected predictable and reliable measurement results (KSR).
However, Schmidt, further teaches:
a testing chamber that includes a scanning module ([Abstract], [0002], [0004], [0007]-[0008], [0010], [0018]-[0020], [0034]-[0042], [0045], [0047]-[0049], [0052], [0055], [Claim 1], & [Claim 20]: discloses a multi-axis articulated robot 14 scanner system housed within a testing chamber); and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the combined apparatus of Anderson, Snow, and Cummings by integrating the mechanical scanning apparatus taught by Schmidt. Schmidt discloses an environmental testing chamber housing an automated multi-axis scanner system used to characterize active phased array antennas. The motivation to incorporate Schmidt’s scanning module into the testing facility is to enable precise, automated spatial mapping of the near-field beam patterns emitted by the antenna under test. Utilizing a known automated scanning module within the isolated testing chamber constitutes a predictable variation of existing antenna testing methods. This combination would improve the measurement system, yielding expected predictable high-resolution, multi-dimensional electromagnetic profiling results of the device under test (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 17, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 11 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0284], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]), wherein the anechoic chamber ([0046], [0327], & [0620]: discloses performing microwave measurement and imaging inside anechoic chambers)
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
is cooled to about four (4) Kelvin.
However, Cummings, further teaches:
is cooled to about four (4) Kelvin (Figs. 1C & 1D; [0006], [0010], [0031], [0054]-[0056], [0062], [0068], [0072]-[0074], [0080], [0082], [0109], & [0116]: discloses cooling the testing system so that the inner chamber is maintained at less than five degrees Kelvin and specifies specific testing regions as “4 K”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the terahertz near-field pattern measurement system utilizing an anechoic chamber of Anderson by integrating the cryogenic cooling infrastructure taught by Cummings. Anderson provides the near-field measurement capabilities inside an anechoic chamber and Cummings teaches a cryogenic system capable of cooling and maintaining a testing chamber to 4 Kelvin. The motivation for this modification is to enable the characterization and near-field beam pattern measurement of advanced superconducting or low-temperature electronic components that require an extreme, 4 Kelvin operating environment for optimal performance. Adapting an existing anechoic measurement chamber with a known cryogenic cooling loop to reach 4 Kelvin is a substitution of one known environmental control technique for another. This combination yields the predictable variation of a stable, ultra-low temperature anechoic testing facility capable of superconducting antenna characterization at cryogenic temperatures (KSR).
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson, in view of Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Cummings, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2018/0166791 A1, Pub. Date June 14, 2018, hereinafter, Kim).
Regarding dependent claim 12, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 11 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]),
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
wherein the thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections distorting beam pattern measurements.
However, Cummings, in combination with Kim, further teach:
wherein the thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds (Cummings: Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010], [0019], [0053]-[0055], [0062]-[0063], [0066], [0068]-[0070], & [0073]-[0074]: discloses “Active Heat Shields” isolating inner/outer testing zones; Kim: [Abstract], [0004]-[0006], [0015], [0022], [0036]-[0038], [0040]-[0045], [0047]-[0051], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 11], & [Claim 18]: discloses a plurality of corrugations 110 (pleated structures) with conductive walls 120)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the thermal/radiation shielding of the cryogenic testing facility taught by Anderson and Cummings by incorporating the RAM-coated corrugated (pleated) structures disclosed by Kim and corroborated by the active heat shield (thermal/radiation shield) taught by Cummings. Kim teaches that a plurality of corrugations covered with radar-absorbing material (RAM) is a known technique for reducing electromagnetic coupling and mitigating reflections. The motivation for this modification is to improve the accuracy of near-field beam pattern measurements by minimizing parasitic reflections from the testing chamber surfaces that would otherwise distort the measured data. Utilizing RAM-coated pleated structures is a known technique to improve the isolation and measurement reliability of similar RF systems, representing a predictable variation and substitution for standard flat shield surfaces. This combination would predictably maintain measurement integrity and reduce interference (KSR).
However, Kim, further teaches:
and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections distorting beam pattern measurements ([Abstract], [0001]-[0002], [0004]-[0006], [0015], [0022], [0036]-[0038], [0040]-[0045], [0047]-[0051], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 11], & [Claim 18]: teaches that a layer of radar absorbing material covers the corrugations to reduce coupling and mitigate interference/reflections).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the thermal/radiation shielding of the cryogenic testing facility taught by Anderson and Cummings by incorporating the RAM-coated corrugated (pleated) structures disclosed by Kim. Kim teaches that a plurality of corrugations covered with radar-absorbing material (RAM) is a known technique for reducing electromagnetic coupling and mitigating reflections. The motivation for this modification is to improve the accuracy of near-field beam pattern measurements by minimizing parasitic reflections from the testing chamber surfaces that would otherwise distort the measured data. Utilizing RAM-coated pleated structures is a known technique to improve the isolation and measurement reliability of similar RF systems, representing a predictable variation and substitution for standard flat shield surfaces. This combination would predictably maintain measurement integrity and reduce interference (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 13, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 12 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]),
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
wherein at least a portion of the thermal/radiation shield is coated with absorber material to help provide an eighty (80) Kelvin environment inside the anechoic chamber.
However, Kim, further teaches:
wherein at least a portion of the thermal/radiation shield is coated with absorber material ([Abstract], [0001]-[0002], [0004]-[0006], [0015], [0022], [0036]-[0038], [0040]-[0045], [0047]-[0051], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 11], & [Claim 18]: discloses an isolation barrier with a layer of radar absorbing material (RAM) covering the corrugations to reduce coupling and mitigate interference/reflections)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the thermal/radiation shield of the testing system of Anderson and Cummings by applying a layer of radar-absorbing material (RAM) to a corrugated, pleated structural surface as taught by Kim. Kim teaches that coating corrugated structures with RAM is a proven method for significantly reducing electromagnetic coupling and mitigating surface-wave reflections in antenna environments. The motivation for this modification is to improve the fidelity of near-field beam pattern measurements by suppressing stray reflections within the cryogenic testing chamber, which are a known source of distortion in antenna characterization. Coating shield surfaces with RAM is a known technique to improve similar devices, as it predictable manages undesirable electromagnetic signals that would degrade the measurement accuracy (KSR). This integration represents a predictable variation that enhances the performance of the testing facility without altering the cryogenic cooling function established by the other references.
However, Cummings, further teaches:
to help provide an eighty (80) Kelvin environment inside the anechoic chamber ([0070] & [0073],: discloses an outer 1st stage active heat shield 310 that can be cooled using “nitrogen…convection loops…for stage temperatures from 30 K to 80 K”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic testing facility of Anderson and Cummings by coating the thermal/radiation shield with radar-absorbing material as taught by Kim. Cummings provides the liquid nitrogen cooling infrastructure capable of maintaining an 80 K environment, while Kim provides the necessary teaching for coating shield surfaces with radar-absorbing material to mitigate unwanted reflections. The motivation for this modification is to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and measurement fidelity of the near-field beam pattern by absorbing stray radiation within the cryogenic testing chamber. Coating the thermal shields with absorber material is a known technique to improve similar electromagnetic testing devices by suppressing scattered reflections. This modification represents a predictable variation and substitution of RAM-coated surfaces into an existing cryogenic anechoic testing chamber to achieve the predictable benefit of an 80 K, reflection-suppressed testing environment (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 14, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 13 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]),
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
wherein an X, Y, Z plane scanner system is secured to and moves with the thermal/radiation shield.
However, Cummings, further teaches:
wherein an X, Y, Z plane scanner system is secured to and moves with the thermal/radiation shield (Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010]-[0011], [0053]-[0056], [0058], [0062]-[0066], [0068]-[0074], [0077], [0080], [0082], [0088], & [0108]-[0112]: discloses a positioning stage 306 (X, Y, Z, θ), corresponding to the X, Y, Z plane scanner, linked to moving heat shields (10, 11) via thermally insulating constraints 350 so the shields move with the stage).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the testing apparatus of Anderson by integrating the stage-and-shield motion architecture taught by Cummings. Cummings teaches the use of thermally insulating constraints to link a multi-axis positioning stage directly to moving heat shields. The motivation for this modification is to maintain constant radiative heat shielding and vacuum integrity during the mechanical scanning of the device under test, preventing thermal leaks that would compromise the cryogenic environment. Linking the scanner to the shield is a known technique to improve similar devices by ensuring the thermal boundary moves together with the scanning mechanism, which constitutes a predictable variation in the design of cryogenic testing systems (KSR) and resolves the problem of inconsistent cooling and environmental exposure during the data collection process.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson, in view of Snow, in view of Schmidt, in view of Cummings, and further in view of Tockstein et al. (US 2013/0125676 A1, Pub. Date May 23, 2013, hereinafter, Tockstein).
Regarding dependent claim 15, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 11 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]),
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
wherein the system simulates the conditions in outer space and the antenna under test is an antenna of a satellite.
However, Tockstein, further teaches:
wherein the system simulates the conditions in outer space ([Abstract], [0004]-[0005], [0021], [0023]-[0025], [0032], [0046], & [0052]-[0053]: discloses testing components in a chamber where a “space-like vacuum may be established” and “cooled to space-like temperatures” to accurately “simulated temperature and pressure conditions found in space”) and the antenna under test is an antenna of a satellite ([Abstract], [0003]-[0004], [0008], [0037], [0042], [0045]-[0046], [Claim 8], [Claim 13], [Claim 15], & [Claim 17]: teaches that the devices placed in the space-simulating chamber include “orbiting weather satellites, orbiting global positional satellites” and that the testing evaluates the “transmission and reception of radio frequency signals via antennae”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic near-field beam pattern measurement system of Anderson and Cummings by configuring the testing environment to simulate conditions in outer space for the testing of an antenna of a satellite, as taught by Tockstein. Applying Tockstein’s teachings of establishing a space-like vacuum and temperature to test the radio frequency transmission and reception performance of antennae on orbiting weather or global positioning satellites. The motivation for this modification is to validate the operational reliability, beam pattern fidelity, and overall radio frequency performance of space-bound antenna components under extreme environmental stresses they will encounter in orbit. Adapting a cryogenic vacuum chamber to simulate outer space conditions for the specialized testing of satellite antennas represents the application of a known technique to improve similar devices. This integration yields the predictable variation of a specialized testing facility capable of ensuring space-flight readiness for critical communication hardware without signal obstructions, yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 16, Anderson teaches:
The system for Claim 11 ([0025], [0046], [0089], [0092], [0169], [0197], [0206], [0272], [0276], [0282], [0284], [0314], [0321], [0324], [0327], [0350], [0355]-[0356], [0369], [0374]-[0375], [0395], [0449]-[0452], [0454]-[0462], [0464], [0473], [0475]-[0478], [0480]-[0484], [0491], [0514], [0527], [0605], [0612]-[0619], & [0670]),
Anderson, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: an alignment system.
However, Cummings, in combination with Tockstein, further teach:
further comprising: an alignment system (Cummings: Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010]-[0011], [0053]-[0056], [0058], [0062]-[0066], [0068]-[0074], [0077], [0080], [0082], [0088], & [0108]-[0112]: discloses a multi-axis positioning stage 306; Tockstein: [0033] & [0037]-[0039]: discloses a mechanical alignment system comprising “runaway channels” and a “U-shaped railing 40” used to slide, align, and position the device under test adjacent to the measurement window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the cryogenic near-field beam pattern measurement system of Anderson and Cummings by incorporating the structural alignment system taught by Tockstein and corroborated by Cummings. Anderson teaches adjusting antennas until achieving “perfect alignment.” Tockstein provides the mechanical alignment system utilizing “runaway channels” and a “U-shaped railing” to accurately position and stabilize the device under test within the testing chamber. The motivation for this modification is to guarantee repeatable spatial orientation between the electromagnetic measurement instrumentation and the device under test, minimizing physical positioning errors that would distort near-field beam pattern data. Integrating mechanical railing and positioning stages to serve as an alignment system within a cryogenic vacuum chamber is a substitution of one established spatial control technique for another. This integration represents a predictable variation and a known technique to improve similar devices, and yield expected predictable results of increased accuracy and reliability during electromagnetic characterization (KSR).
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tockstein, in view of Anderson, in view of Snow, in view of Cummings, in view of Schmidt, in view of Simmons, in view of Amini, and further in view of Kim.
Regarding independent claim 18, Tockstein teaches:
A method comprising: testing a device at a temperature and pressure that simulate conditions in outer space using a thermal vacuum chamber ([Abstract], [0004]-[0005], [0021], [0023]-[0025], [0032], [0046], & [0052]-[0053]: discloses a “chamber for testing electronic devices” where a “space-like vacuum may be established” and “cooled to space-like temperatures” to accurately “simulate temperature and pressure conditions found in space”),
Tockstein, is silent in regard to:
the thermal vacuum chamber including: an anechoic chamber that includes the device; a testing chamber; and
However, Tockstein, in combination with Anderson, further teach:
the thermal vacuum chamber including: an anechoic chamber that includes the device; a testing chamber (Tockstein: [Abstract], [0004]-[0005], [0007], [0021], [0023]-[0025], [0028], [0032], [0039], [0045]-[0046], [0049]-[0050], [0052]-[0053], [Claim 4], [Claim 6], [Claim 12]: teaches positioning the thermal vacuum chamber 20 adjacent to an anechoic chamber 100; Anderson: [0046], [0327], & [0620]: discloses performing measurements “inside anechoic chambers”); and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Tockstein’s thermal vacuum chamber testing method with the near-field beam pattern measurement system of Anderson to facilitate accurate space-environment antenna testing. Tockstein teaches testing electronic components in a chamber that replicates the vacuum and temperature of space, while Anderson provides the near-field measurement system necessary for beam pattern characterization. The motivation for this combination is to validate the beam pattern fidelity and signal performance of communication antennas in an environment that mimics the actual conditions they will encounter in orbit. Implementing this beam pattern testing within the space-simulating chamber is a predictable variation of existing antenna qualification protocols. This represents the application of a known technique to improve the reliability of aerospace hardware, yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Tockstein, in combination with Anderson, are silent in regard to:
a thermal/radiation shield between the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber, wherein the thermal/radiation shield thermally separates the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber
However, Snow, in combination with Cummings, further teach:
a thermal/radiation shield between the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber, wherein the thermal/radiation shield thermally separates the anechoic chamber and the testing chamber (Snow: [0010], [0013], [0042], [0156], [0164], [0166], [0170], [0190], [0197]-[0199], [0205], [0250], [0252]-[0253], [0255], [0262], [0276], [0292], [0307], [0309], [0316], [0321], [0335], [0341]-[0342], [Claim 1], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], & [Claim 14]: discloses a thermal buffer casing 125 surrounding the test zone casing 104; Cummings: Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010], [0019], [0053]-[0055], [0062]-[0063], [0066], [0068]-[0070], & [0073]-[0074]: discloses “Active Heat Shields” isolating inner and outer chamber zones),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to integrate the thermal/radiation shield architecture taught by Cummings and corroborated by Snow, into the Tockstein/Anderson system to achieve thermal separation. Cummings discloses active heat shields used to thermally isolate different regions of a vacuum testing system to prevent uncontrolled heat transfer. The benefit of this combination is maintaining the cryogenic environment required for satellite components while simultaneously performing near-field RF measurements. This is a simple substitution of a known thermal isolation barrier to achieve stable thermal environments within the measurement chamber. Such a configuration is a known technique to improve the thermal stability of similar electromagnetic testing devices, yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Tockstein, in combination with Anderson, and Snow, and Cummings are silent in regard to:
and has an aperture that can move; and
moving a thermal/radiation shield between a first portion of the thermal vacuum chamber and a second portion of the thermal vacuum chamber,
However, Schmidt, in combination with Simmons, and Amini, further teach:
and has an aperture that can move (Schmidt: [Abstract], [0040]-[0041], [0052], [Claim 6], & [Claim 7]: discloses a movable shield 30 with an aperture 42; Simmons: [Abstract], [0001], [0007]-[0008], [0016], [0022]-[0038], [0041]-[0043], [0049]-[0050], [0058]-[0060], [0064]-[0066], [0078]-[0079], [0082]-[0089], [0092], [0096]-[0105], [0118]-[0119], [0121]-[0124], [0126]-[0133], [0156], [0161]-[0164], [0166], [0168], [Claim 1], [Claim 5], [Claim 6], [Claim 7], [Claim 8], [Claim 9], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: provides the mechanism of the pleated metallic bellows tracking/translating with the aperture and DUT, disclosing a shielding structure 200 taking the form of a metallic bellows 240 that translates with the manipulator through an aperture 34; Amini: [Abstract], [0002], [0008]-[0010], [0018], [0022], [0029], [0033], [0036]-[0044], [0047], [0050], [0052], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 8], [Claim 10], [Claim 13], & [Claim 14]: provides additional thermal shield and movable aperture, teaches a cold finger 340 capping volume shielding the DUT); and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the testing chamber of the combined Snow, Schmidt, and Cummings by incorporating the movable shield and aperture mechanisms disclosed by Simmons, and Amini. Simmons teaches translating pleated shield structures (metallic bellows), and Amini discloses a movable aperture, which together allow for dynamic mechanical adjustment of the testing path. The motivation for this modification is to enable the near-field scanner to operate without needed to repressurize the chamber or manually adjust the thermal shielding during data acquisition. This represents a predictable variation that increases testing efficiency by providing the flexibility to scan the device under test while maintaining thermal integrity. This integration of a movable aperture and shield structure is a known technique to improve similar antenna characterization devices (KSR).
However, Tockstein, in combination with Schmidt, and Simmons, further teach:
moving a thermal/radiation shield between a first portion of the thermal vacuum chamber and a second portion of the thermal vacuum chamber (Tockstein: [0033] & [0037]-[0039]: describes the movement of chamber components using “runaway channels” that allow the internal thermal window (shielding structure) to “slide…in and out of the housing” between different portions of the thermal vacuum chamber; Schmidt: [Abstract], [0040]-[0041], [0052], [Claim 6], & [Claim 7]: discloses a movable shield 30 (part of an RF scanner system) configured for movement within an environmental chamber, capable of being positioned between different portions of a testing environment; Simmons: [Abstract], [0001], [0007]-[0008], [0016], [0022]-[0038], [0041]-[0043], [0049]-[0051], [0058]-[0060], [0064]-[0066], [0078]-[0079], [0082]-[0089], [0092], [0096]-[0105], [0118]-[0119], [0121]-[0124], [0126]-[0133], [0156], [0161]-[0164], [0166], [0168], [Claim 1], [Claim 5], [Claim 6], [Claim 7], [Claim 8], [Claim 9], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: describes the mechanism of translating and tracking shield components that move with the aperture or DUT, teaches the movement of shielding barriers between different segments of a vacuum enclosure to isolate the device while allowing mechanical access),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the thermal vacuum testing chamber of Tockstein by incorporating the movable shield mechanism disclosed by Schmidt and Simmons. Schmidt teaches a movable shield that can be positioned within an environmental chamber, while Simmons teaches translating shield components that track with the device under test. The motivation for this modification is to enable the dynamic mechanical alignment and access to the antenna under test while continuously maintaining the isolation of the internal testing environment. Integrating a shield capable of translating between portions of the chamber is a substitution of one known mechanical positioning system for another to improve similar testing devices. This modification represents a predictable variation that increases testing flexibility by allowing the shield to move between chamber portions without compromising the vacuum or thermal integrity of the system, yielding expected predictable results (KSR).
Tockstein, in combination with Anderson, Snow, and Cummings, are silent in regard to:
wherein the thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections distorting beam pattern measurements.
However, Simmons, in combination with Kim, further teach:
wherein the thermal/radiation shield includes pleated blinds (Simmons: [Abstract], [0001], [0007]-[0008], [0016], [0022]-[0038], [0041]-[0043], [0049]-[0050], [0058]-[0060], [0064]-[0066], [0078]-[0079], [0082]-[0089], [0092], [0096]-[0105], [0118]-[0119], [0121]-[0124], [0126]-[0133], [0156], [0161]-[0164], [0166], [0168], [Claim 1], [Claim 5], [Claim 6], [Claim 7], [Claim 8], [Claim 9], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]: provides the mechanism of the pleated metallic bellows tracking/translating with the aperture and DUT, disclosing a shielding structure 200 taking the form of a metallic bellows 240 that translates with the manipulator through an aperture 34; Kim: [Abstract], [0004]-[0006], [0015], [0022], [0036]-[0038], [0040]-[0045], [0047]-[0051], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 11], & [Claim 18]: discloses a plurality of corrugations 110 (pleated structures) with conductive walls 120)
and the pleated blinds help to alleviating risk of reflections distorting beam pattern measurements (Simmons: [Abstract], [0001], [0007]-[0008], [0016], [0022]-[0038], [0041]-[0043], [0049]-[0050], [0058]-[0060], [0064]-[0066], [0078]-[0079], [0082]-[0089], [0092], [0096]-[0105], [0118]-[0119], [0121]-[0124], [0126]-[0133], [0156], [0161]-[0164], [0166], [0168], [Claim 1], [Claim 5], [Claim 6], [Claim 7], [Claim 8], [Claim 9], [Claim 10], [Claim 11], [Claim 12], [Claim 18], [Claim 19], & [Claim 20]; Kim: [Abstract], [0001]-[0002], [0004]-[0006], [0015], [0022], [0036]-[0038], [0040]-[0045], [0047]-[0051], [Claim 1], [Claim 2], [Claim 11], & [Claim 18]: teaches that a layer of radar absorbing material (RAM) covers the corrugations (pleats) to reduce coupling and mitigate interference/reflections).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify and finalize the shield design by applying the RAM-coated corrugated (pleated) structures disclosed by Kim to the pleated structures of Simmons. Kim teaches that covering pleated or corrugated structural components with radar-absorbing material (RAM) is effective for reducing electromagnetic coupling and mitigating surface-wave reflections. The motivation for this modification is to prevent parasitic RF reflections off the translating shield surfaces from causing multipath interference and distorting the near-field beam pattern measurement, and to improve the accuracy of near-field beam pattern measurements by minimizing parasitic reflections from the testing chamber surfaces that would otherwise distort the measured data. This modification constitutes a predictable variation of the testing chamber design, as applying RAM-coated pleated structures is a known technique to improve the isolation and measurement reliability of similar electromagnetic measurement devices. The resulting reduction in measurement provides a benefit in accuracy and the combination would predictably maintain measurement integrity and reduce interference (KSR).
Regarding dependent claim 19, Tockstein teaches:
The method of Claim 18 ([Abstract], [0004]-[0005], [0021], [0023]-[0025], [0032], [0046], & [0052]-[0053]),
Tockstein, is silent in regard to:
further comprising: measuring a complex electric field, amplitude and phase, as a function of X Y positions in the X Y plane by moving the device either continuously or in steps to perform a raster scan.
However, Anderson, further teaches:
further comprising: measuring a complex electric field, amplitude and phase ([0006], [0015], [0023]-[0024], [0026], [0042], [0046]-[0047], [0168], [0171], [0173], [0187], [0197], [0206]-[0207], [0210], [0212], [0227], [0236], [0238]-[0240], [0252], [0258], [0266], [0274], [0292], [0301], [0307], [0319]-[0320], [0325], [0327], [0502], [0516]-[0517], [0525], [0259]-[0530], [0552]-[0553], [0557], [0617], [0676]-[0677], [Claim 3], & [Claim 23]: discloses “selectively read out the phase and amplitude of one or more RF-EM fields” providing the complex measurement method), as a function of X Y positions in the X Y plane by moving the device either continuously or in steps to perform a raster scan ([Abstract], [0046]-[0047], [0199], [0227], [0284], [0311], [0317], [0319], [0322], [0324]-[0325], [0327]-[0328], [0353], [0368], [0372], [0384], [0395], [0397], [0442]-[0444], [0449], [0520], [0523], [0525], [0536], [0541]-[0544], [0546]-[0549], [0566]-[0567], [0575], [0569], [0572]-[0573], [0575], [0577], [0579]-[0581], [0584], [0586], [0595], [0597]-[0599], [0601], [0605]-[0608], [0611], [0613]-[0617], [0619]-[0620], [0659], [0674]-[0675]: discloses an “atom-based raster imager…[to] spatially-scan…[in] 1D or 2D” using a “geometrical scan…[of] optical imaging beams…”, teaching the 2D (XY plane) raster scanning methodology).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the raster-scanning, complex electric-field amplitude and phase measurement method taught by Anderson into the space-simulation testing system of Tockstein and Cummings. Anderson discloses an “atom-based raster imager” that “spatially scan[s]” to “selectively read out the phase and amplitude” of RF fields. The motivation for this modification is to enable high-resolution, spatial mapping of antenna radiation patterns under simulated space environments to ensure mission-critical communication fidelity. Integrating a known, high-resolution atom-based raster-scanning measuring system into a standard thermal vacuum testing chamber is a substitution of one known testing method for another to achieve improved spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. This constitutes a known technique to improve similar devices (KSR) by providing real-time spatial diagnostic data for satellite communication antennas during cryogenic performance validation.
Regarding dependent claim 20, Tockstein teaches:
The method of Claim 19 ([Abstract], [0004]-[0005], [0021], [0023]-[0025], [0032], [0046], & [0052]-[0053]),
Tockstein, is silent in regard to:
wherein the device is mounted on a cryogenic rotation stage to orient the device towards the X, Y, Z plane scanner system for different deflection angles configurations without breaking the vacuum in the anechoic chamber.
However, Cummings, further teaches:
wherein the device is mounted on a cryogenic rotation stage (Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010]-[0011], [0053]-[0056], [0058], [0062]-[0066], [0068]-[0074], [0077], [0080], [0082], [0088], & [0108]-[0112]: discloses a cryogenic positioning stage 306 (X, Y, Z, θ), that operates with multiple axes including a rotational “θ” axis) for different deflection angles configurations (Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010]-[0011], [0053]-[0056], [0058], [0062]-[0066], [0068]-[0074], [0077], [0080], [0082], [0088], & [0108]-[0112]: the rotational “θ” axis of the positioning stage inherently provides the ability to adjust the device to different deflection angles)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the space-simulating thermal vacuum measurement method of Tockstein by incorporating the internal mechanical positioning architecture taught by Cummings. Cummings teaches utilizing a multi-axis positioning stage featuring a rotational “θ” axis that operates entirely within the sealed cryogenic environment to orient the device under test. The motivation for this modification is to enable comprehensive electromagnetic characterization of the device from various spatial orientations without having to repressurize, manually adjust, and re-evacuate the chamber, which improves testing efficiency and maintains stable thermal control. Incorporating an internal cryogenic rotation stage to remotely adjust the testing angle is a substitution of one known mechanical positioning mechanism for another. This integration represents a predictable variation and a known technique to improve similar devices, ensuring vacuum integrity is preserved during complex beam pattern measurements (KSR).
However, Anderson, in combination with Cummings, further teach:
to orient the device towards the X, Y, Z plane scanner system (Anderson: [Abstract], [0046]-[0047], [0199], [0227], [0284], [0311], [0317], [0319], [0322], [0324]-[0325], [0327]-[0328], [0353], [0368], [0372], [0384], [0395], [0397], [0442]-[0444], [0449], [0520], [0523], [0525], [0536], [0541]-[0544], [0546]-[0549], [0566]-[0567], [0575], [0569], [0572]-[0573], [0575], [0577], [0579]-[0581], [0584], [0586], [0595], [0597]-[0599], [0601], [0605]-[0608], [0611], [0613]-[0617], [0619]-[0620], [0659], [0674]-[0675]: discloses the spatial imaging system that scans in 1D or 2D (X, Y, Z positioning); Cummings: Figs. 1C & 1D; [0010]-[0011], [0053]-[0056], [0058], [0062]-[0066], [0068]-[0074], [0077], [0080], [0082], [0088], [0108]-[0112], & [0125]: positioning stage orients the device under test relative to the measurement probes/scanner)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the near-field beam pattern measurement method of Anderson by incorporating the internal mechanical positioning architecture taught by Cummings. Anderson provides the X, Y, Z spatial scanner operating in an anechoic chamber, while Cummings teaches mounting a device on a multi-axis positioning stage featuring a cryogenic rotational “θ” axis that operates within the sealed vacuum environment. The motivation for this modification is to enable comprehensive electromagnetic characterization of the device from various spatial orientations without having to repressurize, manually adjust, and re-evacuate the chamber, which improves testing efficiency and maintains stable thermal control. Incorporating an internal cryogenic rotation stage to remotely adjust the testing angle is a substitution of one known mechanical positioning mechanism for another. This integration represents a predictable variation and a known technique to improve similar testing devices, ensuring vacuum integrity is preserved during complex beam pattern measurements (KSR).
However, Tockstein, in combination with Cummings, further teach:
without breaking the vacuum in the anechoic chamber (Tockstein: [Abstract], [0004], [0006]-[0008], [0021], [0023]-[0026], [0028], [0035], [0037], [0039]-[0040], [0042]-[0043], [0045]-[0046], [0049]-[0050], [0053], [Claim 1], [Claim 4], [Claim 6], [Claim 12], [Claim 13], [Claim 14], & [Claim 15]: discloses that the testing occurs once the chamber is sealed and a “vacuum pump 58 has established a near vacuum inside the chamber”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the thermal vacuum testing method of Tockstein and Anderson by mounting the device on an internal cryogenic rotation stage as taught by Cummings. Anderson provides the spatial scanner, and Cummings discloses a multi-axis positioning stage, including a rotation “θ” axis, that operates within the sealed cryogenic chamber. The motivation for this modification is to enable comprehensive, multi-angle electromagnetic characterization of the device under test from various spatial orientations without having to continuously repressurize, manually adjust, and re-evacuate the testing chamber, which improves testing efficiency and maintains stable thermal control. Incorporating an internal cryogenic rotation stage to remotely adjust the testing angle is a substitution of one known mechanical positioning mechanism for another to improve similar testing devices. This integration represents a predictable variation that increases testing efficiency and maintains thermal and vacuum integrity during complex beam pattern measurements (KSR).
Conclusion
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/HUGO NAVARRO/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858 July 17, 2026
/EMAN A ALKAFAWI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858 7/22/2026
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