Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Application No. 19/047,627

Apparatus for Substance Detection

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
Feb 07, 2025
Priority
Feb 10, 2017 — provisional 62/457,758 +3 more
Examiner
LIU, KENDRICK X
Art Unit
2853
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Ctwists LLC
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
10m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
715 granted / 915 resolved
+10.1% vs TC avg
Strong +15% interview lift
Without
With
+15.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
942
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
54.7%
+14.7% vs TC avg
§102
24.3%
-15.7% vs TC avg
§112
15.7%
-24.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 915 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
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 . Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the features of the three conductors alternately disposed and coupled with each of the three antennas (claim 1) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Regarding claim 1, the recitation of “each of the antennas will be phased at 0, 120, and 240 degrees” in line 8 contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 2-13 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 1. Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention. Regarding claim 1, the recitation of “three conductors alternately disposed and coupled with each of the three antennas” in lines 5-6 contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Claims 2-13 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 1. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-13 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. Regarding claim 1, the recitation of “a radio frequency RF signal generator comprising three conductors alternately disposed and coupled with each of the three antennas so that an electromagnetic RF sinusoidal wave that is developed in combination in each of the antennas will be phased at 0, 120, and 240 degrees and configured to realize a sinusoidal signal in each of the three antennas that in aggregate have total power that is a constant value” in lines 5-10 is indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. First, it is unclear to the examiner how a single electromagnetic RF sinusoidal wave may be phased at 0, 120 and 240 degrees at the same time. The examiner believes there should be three different electromagnetic RF sinusoidal waves, one for each of the antennas. Second, it is unclear what is meant by the three antennas having total power that is a constant value. The examiner believes that there should be three sinusoidal signals in the respective three antennas that in aggregate have total power that is a constant value. 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. Claim(s) 1 and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oung et al. (US 2008/0303673 A1) in view of Kelliher et al. (US 2005/0073418 A1). Regarding claim 1, Oung et al. teach an apparatus for substance detection (this invention 20 relates to dynamically controlled electronic article surveillance systems whereby an array of antenna elements is digitally phased and actively driven for concurrent transmission 22 and digitally phased and then combined in the receiver unit 24 to improve detection of a security tag 10; [0055]; Figs 9 and 9A), comprising: an antenna array comprising three antennas capable of either transmitting or receiving one of: a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave (a circular-polarized, interrogating field is created when both antennas are driven concurrently with a phase shift such that the energy received by the tag is the same regardless of its orientation; [0009]; said plurality of transmitted and received security tag signals are digitally phased and dynamically controlled to create a circularly polarized helical RF field; claim 10; antenna elements Ant. 1, Ant. 2 … Ant. K; FIG. 9A); and a radio frequency RF signal generator comprising three conductors alternately disposed and coupled with each of the three antennas so that an electromagnetic RF sinusoidal wave that is developed in combination in each of the antennas will be phased at 0, 120, and 240 degrees and configured to realize a sinusoidal signal in each of the three antennas that in aggregate have total power that is a constant value (three antenna elements that, when driven 120° out of phase, result in zero vector summation in far field; [0029]; FIG. 9; a phase delta 101 controlling the output frequency is accumulated and quantized to generate an index 102 that is mapped by the sine/cosine lookup table 103 to generate the output RF waveform 104; [0056]; FIG. 10; for example, in a system with three identical antenna elements, if two of the phase shifts were 0° and 120°, then it would be desirable to choose a phase shift of 240° for the third antenna element such that the vector sum of all phase shifts equals zero; [0060]; FIG. 13). Further regarding claim 1, Oung et al. do not teach the antenna array is a three-dimensional antenna array comprising three noncoplanar antennas. Further regarding claim 1, Kelliher et al. teach a three-dimensional antenna array comprising three noncoplanar antennas (scanner 22 includes three loop antennas 100 are arranged substantially orthogonal to one another; [0021]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the antenna array is a three-dimensional antenna array comprising three noncoplanar antennas, as taught by Kelliher et al., into Oung et al. for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. Regarding claim 10, Oung et al. do not teach wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional transmitting antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting antennas. Further regarding claim 10, Kelliher et al. teach a three-dimensional transmitting antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting antennas (this TI gate antenna is used with readers having a transmitter frequency of 13.56 MHz and an output impedance of 50 Ohm; [0024]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional transmitting antenna array comprising three non-coplanar transmitting antennas, as taught by Kelliher et al., into Oung et al. for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. Regarding claim 11, Oung et al. do not teach wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar receiving antennas. Further regarding claim 11, Kelliher et al. teach a three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar receiving antennas (antennas 100 receive signals indicative of tagged item 20; [0022]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar receiving antennas, as taught by Kelliher et al., into Oung et al. for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. Regarding claim 12, Oung et al. do not teach wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional transmitting and receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting and receiving antennas. Further regarding claim 12, Kelliher et al. teach a three-dimensional transmitting and receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting and receiving antennas (antennas 100 receive signals indicative of tagged item 20; [0022]; this TI gate antenna is used with readers having a transmitter frequency of 13.56 MHz and an output impedance of 50 Ohm; [0024]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar receiving antennas, as taught by Kelliher et al., into Oung et al. for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. Regarding claim 13, Oung et al. do not teach wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a first three-dimensional transmitting and a second three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting and receiving antennas. Further regarding claim 13, Kelliher et al. teach a first three-dimensional transmitting and a second three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting and receiving antennas (antennas 100 receive signals indicative of tagged item 20; [0022]; this TI gate antenna is used with readers having a transmitter frequency of 13.56 MHz and an output impedance of 50 Ohm; [0024]; FIG. 2) for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the three-dimensional antenna array is a first three-dimensional transmitting and a second three-dimensional receiving antenna array comprising three noncoplanar transmitting and receiving antennas, as taught by Kelliher et al., into Oung et al. for the purpose of orientation and position measurements relative to three axes. Claim(s) 2-5 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oung et al. (US 2008/0303673 A1) as modified by Kelliher et al. (US 2005/0073418 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Taicher et al. (US 7,355,402 B1). Regarding claim 2, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies from one of: a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave in order to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for a substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation. Further regarding claim 2, Taicher et al. teach a RF signal generator and an antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies in order to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for a substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation (the antenna 44 is arranged such that when RF power pulses of a selected frequency are passed through the antenna 44, NMR phenomena are excited in certain nuclei of substances disposed in the chamber; FIG. 2; column 5, line 53 to column 6, line 13; the field distribution and/or amplitude may be altered by the presence of certain materials and objects inside the chamber, and NMR signals may shift in frequency or disappear altogether; column 6, line 66 to column 7, line 23; the frequency used to energize the RF antenna coils 152, 154 is selected to induce NMR phenomena in selected nuclei of person passed through the volume 150; column 10, lines 30-49; FIG. 9B; antennas 155, 155A, 156; FIG. 10) for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies from one of: a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave in order to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for a substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. Regarding claim 3, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. teach an array of three amplifiers each individually coupled with one of the three antennas and configured to detect a responsive signal generated by excitation from a circular polarized wave or an elliptically polarized wave (this invention 20 relates to dynamically controlled electronic article surveillance systems whereby an array of antenna elements is digitally phased and actively driven for concurrent transmission 22 and digitally phased and then combined in the receiver unit 24 to improve detection of a security tag 10; [0055]; FIG. 9A; R1, R2 … Rk are receiving amplifiers; Oung et al.). Further regarding claim 3, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach the responsive signal is a responsive relaxation signal. Further regarding claim 3, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach the responsive signal is a responsive relaxation signal (the antenna 44 is arranged such that when RF power pulses of a selected frequency are passed through the antenna 44, NMR phenomena are excited in certain nuclei of substances disposed in the chamber; FIG. 2; column 5, line 53 to column 6, line 13; the field distribution and/or amplitude may be altered by the presence of certain materials and objects inside the chamber, and NMR signals may shift in frequency or disappear altogether; column 6, line 66 to column 7, line 23; the frequency used to energize the RF antenna coils 152, 154 is selected to induce NMR phenomena in selected nuclei of person passed through the volume 150; column 10, lines 30-49; FIG. 9B; antennas 155, 155A, 156; FIG. 10) for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the responsive signal is a responsive relaxation signal, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. Regarding claim 4, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies from one of: a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for the substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation. Further regarding claim 4, Taicher et al. teach a RF signal generator and an antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for the substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation (the antenna 44 is arranged such that when RF power pulses of a selected frequency are passed through the antenna 44, NMR phenomena are excited in certain nuclei of substances disposed in the chamber; FIG. 2; column 5, line 53 to column 6, line 13; the field distribution and/or amplitude may be altered by the presence of certain materials and objects inside the chamber, and NMR signals may shift in frequency or disappear altogether; column 6, line 66 to column 7, line 23; the frequency used to energize the RF antenna coils 152, 154 is selected to induce NMR phenomena in selected nuclei of person passed through the volume 150; column 10, lines 30-49; FIG. 9B; antennas 155, 155A, 156; FIG. 10) for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are configured to transmit a range of potential excitation frequencies from one of: a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to excite a substance, monitor response of the substance to the excitation, and detect a set of primary excitation frequencies for the substance responsive to relaxation from the excitation, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. Regarding claim 5, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance. Further regarding claim 5, Taicher et al. teach the RF signal generator and the antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance (as each personal item is introduced into the NMR screening device, an initial, high speed evaluation for the presence of liquids may be performed; FIG. 1; column 5, lines 14-52) for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting hazardous substance. Regarding claim 7, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies, and encode a range of potential secondary excitation frequencies, and monitor for responsive relaxation to establish a set of secondary excitation frequencies for the substance. Further regarding claim 7, Taicher et.al. teach the RF signal generator and the antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies, and encode a range of potential secondary excitation frequencies, and monitor for responsive relaxation to establish a set of secondary excitation frequencies for the substance (the frequency of the RF magnetic fields used to induce NMR phenomena depends on the particular nucleus investigated, which in the present implementation is hydrogen, and the amplitude of the static magnetic field used to polarize the investigated nuclei; column 6, lines 14-31; by applying, for example, a linear gradient field along the direction of motion of the second conveyor and performing CPMG sequences at a plurality of RF frequencies, it is possible to obtain relaxation measurements corresponding to various position along the chamber where the total static magnetic field amplitude excites NMR phenomena at the particular RF frequency used in any one measurement sequence; column 8, lines 14-33; the NMR system may use pulsed radio frequency power to induce any form of detectable nuclear magnetic resonance phenomena suitable for determining mass of liquid present on human subject disposed within the volume 150; column 10, lines 30-49; computer 28 encodes different frequencies for different liquids; the primary frequency used for hydrogen) for the purpose of detecting various hazardous substances. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies, and encode a range of potential secondary excitation frequencies, and monitor for responsive relaxation to establish a set of secondary excitation frequencies for the substance, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting various hazardous substances. Regarding claim 8, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance. Further regarding claim 8, Taicher et al. teach the RF signal generator and the antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance (as each personal item is introduced into the NMR screening device, an initial, high speed evaluation for the presence of liquids may be performed; FIG. 1; column 5, lines 14-52) for the purpose of detecting various hazardous substances. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance to excite the substance and determine the presence of the substance, as taught by Taicher et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. for the purpose of detecting various hazardous substances. Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oung et al. (US 2008/0303673 A1) as modified by Kelliher et al. (US 2005/0073418 A1) and Taicher et al. (US 7,355,402 B1) as applied to claim 4 above, and further in view of Einziger et al. (US 2017/0164432 A1). Regarding claim 6, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. and Taicher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct. Further regarding claim 6, Einziger et al. teach a RF signal generator and an antenna array are configured to transmit one of a set of determined primary excitation frequencies to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct (the term object may encompass such matter as food to be thawed or cooked; clothes or other material to be dried; frozen material to be thawed; chemicals to be reacted; fuel or other combustible material to be combusted; hydrated material to be dehydrated; gases to be expanded; liquids to be thawed, heated, boiled, or vaporized; blood or blood components to be thawed and/or warmed; materials to be manufactured; components to be connected ; or any other material for which there is a desire to even nominally apply electromagnetic energy; [0038]; radiating element 18 may include one or more waveguides and/or one or more antennas for supplying electromagnetic energy to object 50; [0053]; FIG. 1; the source may include a power supply 12, which includes one or more components configured to generate electromagnetic energy; [0049]; processor 30 may perform pulse-width-modulation control of amplifier 16 such that the amplifier outputs a desired waveform; [0074]) for the purpose of applying energy to a substance via electromagnetic waves to change material characteristics. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct, as taught by Einziger et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. and Taicher et al. for the purpose of applying energy to a substance via electromagnetic waves to change material characteristics. Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oung et al. (US 2008/0303673 A1) as modified by Kelliher et al. (US 2005/0073418 A1) and Taicher et al. (US 7,355,402 B1) as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Einziger et al. (US 2017/0164432 A1). Regarding claim 9, Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. and Taicher et al. do not teach wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct. Further regarding claim 9, Einziger et al. teach a RF signal generator and an antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct (the term object may encompass such matter as food to be thawed or cooked; clothes or other material to be dried; frozen material to be thawed; chemicals to be reacted; fuel or other combustible material to be combusted; hydrated material to be dehydrated; gases to be expanded; liquids to be thawed, heated, boiled, or vaporized; blood or blood components to be thawed and/or warmed; materials to be manufactured; components to be connected ; or any other material for which there is a desire to even nominally apply electromagnetic energy; [0038]; radiating element 18 may include one or more waveguides and/or one or more antennas for supplying electromagnetic energy to object 50; [0053]; FIG. 1; the source may include a power supply 12, which includes one or more components configured to generate electromagnetic energy; [0049]; processor 30 may perform pulse-width-modulation control of amplifier 16 such that the amplifier outputs a desired waveform; [0074]) for the purpose of applying energy to different substances via electromagnetic waves to change material characteristics of the different substances. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the RF signal generator and the three-dimensional antenna array are further configured to transmit one of the set of determined primary excitation frequencies encoded with the one of the set of determined secondary excitation frequencies as one of a circular polarized wave and an elliptically polarized wave to a substance with determined power and duration necessary to impart forced oscillation of the substance causing the substance to destruct, as taught by Einziger et al., into Oung et al. as modified by Kelliher et al. and Taicher et al. for the purpose of applying energy to different substances via electromagnetic waves to change material characteristics of the different substances. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENDRICK X LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-3798. The examiner can normally be reached MWFSa 10am-8pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. 9 October 2026 /KENDRICK X LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2853 /DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 07, 2025
Application Filed
Oct 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+15.4%)
2y 6m (~10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
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