DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2022-118945, filed on 07/26/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/27/2026, 05/01/2026, 01/06/2026 and 08/11/2026, 01/14/2025. 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
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 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haziza [US 2019/0296429 A1] in view of Foo [US 2018/0109002 A1]
In regards to claim 1. Haziza discloses a radio wave control plate (Fig. 1, 100) comprising:
a plurality of unit structures arrayed in a direction (Figures 1 and 3B); and
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a reference conductor serving as a reference potential of the plurality of unit structures (Figure 3B, reference 355), wherein
each of the plurality of unit structures comprises a first resonator extending in the direction (Figure 3B: The part of the stack above the reference conductor 355 is identified with the second resonator), and
a second resonator separated from the first resonator in a first direction and extending in the direction (Figure 3B, reference 355: The part of the stack below the reference conductor 355 is identified with the second resonator), and
at least one of the first resonator or the second resonator comprises a first electrode extending in the direction (Figure 3B, reference 343),
a second electrode separated from the first electrode in the direction and extending in the direction (Figure 3B, reference 347), and
a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and extending in the direction (Figure 3B, reference 344, paragraph [0038]: "variable dielectric constant
material 344 (e.g., twisted nematic liquid crystal layer)").
Haziza does not specify explicitly a first plane direction
However Foo in Fig. 9 shows XYZ direction of the antenna 190 (see paragraph [0057])
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use the teachings of Foo with Haziza to discloses a first plane direction for purpose of provided a antenna that includes a feed for generating a radio frequency (RF) signal with efficiency and cost effective as disclosed by Foo (Paragraph [0005-6]).
In regards to claims 8. Haziza in view of Zoo discloses the radio wave control plate according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of unit structures comprises a reflective conductor disposed below the second resonator and extending over an entire surface of the second resonator in the first plane direction (See Zoo figure 3, reference 130).
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Che, Bang-Jun [CN 209248207] in view of Foo [US 2018/0109002 A1]
In regards to claim 14. Che, Bang-Jun discloses a composite resonator (Figure 9) comprising:
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a first resonator extending in a direction (Figure 9 The part of the stack between layers 1 and 4 is identified with the first resonator); and
a second resonator separated from the first resonator in a direction and extending in the direction (Figure 9: The part of the stack between layers 2 and 4 is identified with the first
resonator), wherein
at least one of the first resonator or the second resonator comprises a first electrode extending in the direction (Figure 3 to 6, reference 11),
a second electrode separated from the first electrode in the direction and extending in the direction (Figure 3 to 6, reference 21), and
a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and extending in the direction (Figure 9, reference 3).
Che, Bang-Jun does not specify explicitly a first plane direction
However Foo in Fig. 9 shows XYZ direction of the antenna 190
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use the teachings of Foo with Che, Bang-Jun to discloses a first plane direction for purpose of provided a antenna that includes a feed for generating a radio frequency (RF) signal with efficiency and cost effective as disclosed by Foo (Paragraph [0005-6]).
In regards to claims 15. Che, Bang-Jun in view of Foo discloses the composite resonator according to claim 14, further comprising a reflective conductor disposed below the second resonator and extending over an entire surface of the second resonator in the first plane direction (See Foo figure 3, reference 130).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7, 9-13 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEI (VICTOR) CHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5177. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander H Taningco can be reached at 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WEI (VICTOR) CHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844
/WEI (VICTOR) Y CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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