DETAILED ACTION
Drawings
Figures 5b and 7a should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. 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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 11-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lei et al (US 2021/0302467 A1) [cited by applicant].
Regarding claim 1, Lei et al disclose a pusher for use in an automated test equipment to mechanically push a device under test into a device under test socket (para 56,59), the pusher comprising: higher permittivity dielectric regions, and lower permittivity dielectric regions; wherein the higher permittivity regions and the lower permittivity regions form a structure of higher permittivity dielectric columns with lower permittivity dielectric regions between the columns, or a structure of a higher permittivity dielectric block with lower permittivity dielectric holes (fig1, the nozzle 240 forms a column having a dielectric constant of 5.63 which is higher than that of air and the nozzle is surrounded by air inside the socket, para74); and wherein the higher permittivity dielectric columns or the holes extend in a first direction, which is within +/- 45° of a pushing direction (fig1, the nozzle 240 extends parallel to the pushing direction of the plunger 20).
Regarding claim 20, Lei et al disclose a method for mechanically pushing a device under test into a device under test socket of an automated test equipment, the method comprising:
mechanically pushing the device under test into the device under test socket with a pusher (para56,59), wherein the pusher comprises a structure of higher permittivity dielectric columns with lower permittivity dielectric regions between the columns, or a structure of a higher permittivity dielectric block with lower permittivity dielectric holes (fig1, para74); and wherein the higher permittivity dielectric columns or the lower permittivity dielectric holes are extending in a first direction, which is within +/- 45° of a pushing direction (fig1, the nozzle 240 extends parallel to the pushing direction of the plunger 20).
Lei et al also disclose wherein the higher permittivity dielectric columns or the holes are circular or square-shaped or triangle-shaped or cross-shaped (para74, the nozzle 240 with different shapes and sizes), wherein the higher permittivity dielectric regions comprise a relative permittivity greater than 2 (para74), wherein the higher permittivity dielectric regions are made of polymer or of polycarbonate or of quartz or of Teflon or of PEEK material (para74), wherein the lower permittivity dielectric regions comprise a relative permittivity less than or equal to 1.5 (para74), wherein the lower permittivity dielectric regions comprise air (para74), wherein the pushing direction is perpendicular, within a tolerance of +/- 15°, to a far-field direction of an electrical field in a main lobe of an antenna of the device under test, or wherein the pushing direction is perpendicular, within a tolerance of +/- 15°, to a main surface of device under test, or wherein the pushing direction is perpendicular, within a tolerance of +/- 15°, to a main surface of device under test socket (the nozzle 240 extends parallel to the pushing direction of the plunger 20), wherein the device under test comprises an antenna; wherein the device under test is pushed into the device under test socket by the pusher in order to test the device under test (para 6,59).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 and 17-19 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The patents to Jones, Kato, Song, Kim, Maruo, Tonn, Celik and Anton are cited as of interested and illustrated a similar structure to a pusher for use in an automated test equipment.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THO GIA PHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1826. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F (8-430).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached on (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THO G PHAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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