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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/22/2024 was filed. 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 § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kambara et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0010669, hereby referred as Kambara) in view of Hirofumi et al. (WO 2022/070901, hereby referred as Hirofumi).
Regarding claim 1,
Kambara discloses,
An electromagnetic wave reflecting device (figures 4-8 and 11), comprising:
a reflection panel (reflective panel 13) configured to reflect radio waves in a desired band selected from a band of frequencies equal to or higher than 1 GHz and equal to or lower than 170 GHz (see paragraph [0064]); and
a frame configured to hold the reflection panel (frame 111),
wherein the reflection panel includes a dielectric layer, a periodic conductive pattern provided on one surface of the dielectric layer, a ground layer provided on another surface of the dielectric layer (figure 4 and paragraph [0066] discloses a meta-surface is fabricated by forming metal patches, which are sufficiently smaller than the operating wavelength, over the surface of a conductor such as a metal surface, via a dielectric layer between them. Thus, the reflective panel has a dielectric layer, a periodic conductive pattern (metal patches) provided on one surface of the dielectric layer and a ground layer such as a metal which provide don the other surface of the dielectric layer).
Kambara does not disclose,
A first intermediate layer covering the conductive pattern, a first dielectric substrate bonded to the conductive pattern by the first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer covering the ground layer, and a second dielectric substrate bonded to the ground layer by the second intermediate layer.
However, Hirofumi teaches (figure 2),
A first intermediate layer (layer 10a) covering the conductive pattern (covering conductive pattern of antenna pattern 2), a first dielectric substrate bonded to the conductive pattern by the first intermediate layer (fist dielectric substrate 12), a second intermediate layer covering the ground layer (intermediate layer 10b covering the other side of the antenna 2), and a second dielectric substrate bonded to the ground layer by the second intermediate layer (second dielectric layer 13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a first intermediate layer covering the conductive pattern, a first dielectric substrate bonded to the conductive pattern by the first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer covering the ground layer, and a second dielectric substrate bonded to the ground layer by the second intermediate layer, as taught by Hirofumi, into Kambara in order to provide an improved antenna with exhibiting excellent antenna gain, low radiation loss, and low permittivity and dielectric loss in a high-frequency band.
Regarding claim 2,
Kambara, as modified, does not disclose,
Wherein an area occupancy of the conductive pattern on the one surface is 10.0% or more and 45.0% or less.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate an area occupancy of the conductive pattern on the one surface is 10.0% or more and 45.0% or less in order to provide an improved antenna element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 3,
Kambara, as modified, does not disclose,
Wherein a thickness of the conductive pattern is 0.01 mm or more and 0.05 mm or less.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a thickness of the conductive pattern is 0.01 mm or more and 0.05 mm or less in order to provide an improved antenna element, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 4,
Kambara discloses,
Wherein the conductive pattern is provided on the one surface while being supported by an adhesive layer (see paragraph [0102] for disclosing adhesive layer).
Regarding claim 5,
Kambara does not disclose,
Wherein the first intermediate layer is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the first dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film.
However, Hirofumi teaches (figure 2),
Wherein the first intermediate layer (layer 10a) is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the first dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film (see the teaching in the highlighted paragraph in the Espacenet translation document).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the first intermediate layer is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the first dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film, as taught by Hirofumi, into Kambara in order to provide an improved antenna with exhibiting excellent antenna gain, low radiation loss, and low permittivity and dielectric loss in a high-frequency band.
Regarding claim 6,
Kambara does not disclose,
Wherein the second intermediate layer (layer 10b) is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the second dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film.
However, Hirofumi teaches (figure 2),
Wherein the second intermediate layer is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the second dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film (see the teaching in the highlighted paragraph in the Espacenet translation document).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the second intermediate layer is an adhesive film having a thickness of 10 µm or more and 400 µm or less, and the second dielectric substrate is bonded by the adhesive film, as taught by Hirofumi, into Kambara in order to provide an improved antenna with exhibiting excellent antenna gain, low radiation loss, and low permittivity and dielectric loss in a high-frequency band.
Regarding claim 7,
Kambara discloses,
wherein the frame includes a slit into which the reflection panel is inserted, a cavity communicating with the slit, and a groove formed in the cavity, and the reflection panel is held by the slit and the groove (see figure 8, frame 111 and the insertion port is deemed as a slit which is the reflective panel is inserted in the groove and the entire area of the space/groove is construed as a cavity).
Regarding claim 8,
Kambara discloses,
An electromagnetic wave reflecting fence, comprising: a plurality of electromagnetic wave reflecting devices each being the electromagnetic wave reflecting device of claim 1 and being joined to each other by the frame (see figures 11A, 11B and 11C that teaches a plurality of the reflective panel of figures 4-8).
Regarding claim 9,
Kambara discloses,
wherein at least a part of the reflection panel is a meta-surface having an angle of incidence and an angle of reflection, the angle of incidence differing from the angle of reflection (figures 4 and 11, paragraph [0066] discloses a meta-surface is fabricated by forming metal patches, which are sufficiently smaller than the operating wavelength, over the surface of a conductor such as a metal surface, via a dielectric layer between them. Thus, the reflective panel has a dielectric layer, a periodic conductive pattern (metal patches) provided on one surface of the dielectric layer and a ground layer such as a metal which provide don the other surface of the dielectric layer).
Regarding claim 10,
Kambara discloses,
A reflection panel, comprising (figures 4-8, reflection panel 13 and frame 111):
a dielectric layer;
a periodic conductive pattern provided on one surface of the dielectric layer;
a ground layer provided on another surface of the dielectric layer (figure 4 and paragraph [0066] discloses a meta-surface is fabricated by forming metal patches, which are sufficiently smaller than the operating wavelength, over the surface of a conductor such as a metal surface, via a dielectric layer between them. Thus, the reflective panel has a dielectric layer, a periodic conductive pattern (metal patches) provided on one surface of the dielectric layer and a ground layer such as a metal which provide don the other surface of the dielectric layer).
Kambara does not disclose,
A first intermediate layer covering the conductive pattern; a first dielectric substrate bonded to the conductive pattern by the first intermediate layer; a second intermediate layer covering the ground layer; and a second dielectric substrate bonded to the ground layer by the second intermediate layer.
However, Hirofumi teaches (figure 2),
A first intermediate layer (layer 10a) covering the conductive pattern (covering conductive pattern of antenna pattern 2); a first dielectric substrate bonded to the conductive pattern by the first intermediate layer (fist dielectric substrate 12); a second intermediate layer covering the ground layer (second dielectric layer 13); and a second dielectric substrate bonded to the ground layer by the second intermediate layer (see figure 2, layers 13, 10B and 11).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Broderick et al. US Patent No. 5325094, Hasegawa US Pub. No. 2022/0052454, Verd et al. US Pub. No. 2021/0159608, Olfert et al. US Pub. No. 2020/0044326.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AWAT M SALIH whose telephone number is (571)270-5601. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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/AWAT M SALIH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845