Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
2. This communication is responsive to Application No. 19/189,065 filed on July 22, 2025. Claims 1-20 are subject to examination.
Claim Objections/Suggestions
3. Following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
in claim 1 “DCS controller” (line 6) should be replaced with “a DCS controller”;
in claim 3 “so that” (line 3) should be replaced with “in a manner that”;
in claim 8 “the surface” (the last line) should be replaced with “the scattering surface”;
in claim 13 the acronym “PEC” (line 14) must be defined;
in claim 16 “the subset of receivers” (line 2) should be replaced with “the subset of multiple receivers”;
in claim 18 “its corresponding” (line 5) should be replaced with “a corresponding” and “these scattering elements” (line 6) should be replaced with “the scattering elements”; and
in claim 20 “for use in a DCS controller” (line 1) should be replaced with “for utilize in a digitally controllable scatterer (DCS) controller” and “wherein a single-user codeword” (lines 7-8) should be replaced with “wherein the single-user codeword”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-20 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 pre-AIA the Applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitations “the respective receiver” (line 9) and “the phase configuration” (line 19). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Hence, renders claim 1 and its dependent claims indefinite.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “the characteristic” (line 3). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the resources” (line 3). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation “the number” (line 2). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 recites the limitations “the throughput being the sum rate of the rate” (line 2). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitations “the required Signal-to-Noise Ratio, SNR, values for the two or more receivers” (lines 3-4). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitations “the subsets of scattering elements by determining the reflective elements” (line 3). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitations “the pattern” (line 3), “the shape” (line 4), “the location of a transmitter” (lines 4-5) and “the location of” (line 5). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 11 recites “a receiver” (lines 2-3). It is not clear whether said "receiver" is different from or the same as recited “a receiver” in lines 2-3 of claim 10. In addition, claim 11 recites the limitation “the line” (line 6). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites in line 17 “the scattering elements”. It is not clear whether said “scattering elements” is referring to “a plurality of scattering elements” as recited in lines 4-5 of claim 1 or “a set of scattering elements” as recited in line 8 of claim 1. Claim 13 further recites the limitations “the location” (line 9), “the point… the line” (line 10), “the path difference… the path” (line 13) and “the wavelength… the emitted signal” (the last line). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claims 14-15 recite the limitation “the single-user codewords” (line 2). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 16-17 recite the limitation “the receivers” (the last line). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitations “the multiple receivers” (line 2), “the phase configuration” (line 8) and “the respective receiver” (line 9). There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. In addition, claim 20 recites in line 17 “the subset”. It is not clear whether said “subset” is referring to “a subset of the multiple receivers” as recited in line 2 or “a subset of receivers” as recited in line 12. Hence, renders claim 20 indefinite.
Reason for Allowance
6. Hemadeh (US 2026/0088856 A1) teaches in Figure 7 a DCS (RIS), multiple receivers (WTRU 1…K) and a DCS controller (RIS Controller). Kwon (US 2024/0048214 A1) teaches in Figure 1 a DCS (205a), multiple receivers (115-a…c). Zegrar (US 2023/0421412 A1) teaches in Figure 1 a DCS (RIS), multiple receivers (UEs). However, the prior art of record when implemented, would not produce said DCS controller as claimed in claim 1 and said method as claimed in claim 20.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to SHAWKAT M. ALI whose telephone number is (571) 270-1639. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 8:30AM-3:30PM ET.
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 AIR at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, SAM K. AHN can be reached on (571) 272-3044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAWKAT M ALI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633
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