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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 15-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claims 17-19 depend upon rejected claim 15 and inherit the deficiency thereby.
Claim 15, Line 3, “a signal” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “a signal” as defined in line 1 of the same claim, thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Claim 15, Line 3, “a first transmission line” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “a first transmission line” as defined in line 1 of the same claim, (i.e. the same transmission line, separate and distinct transmission lines, etc.) thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Claim 16, Line 2, “a loss of data” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “a loss of data” as previously defined in line 10 of claim 15, (i.e. the same data loss, separate and distinct data loss, etc.) from which this claim depends, thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Claim 16, Lines 3-4, “one or more unit cells” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “multiple unit cells” as previously defined in line 11 of claim 15, (i.e. the same unit cells, separate and distinct unit cells, etc.) from which this claim depends, thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Claim 20, Line 1, “at least one first switch” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “at least one first switch” as previously defined in line 5 of claim 15, (i.e. the same switch, separate and distinct switches, etc.) from which this claim depends, thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Claim 20, Line 1, “a second switch” is unclear to one of ordinary skill in the art as to how this recitation is related to the “a second switch” as previously defined in lines 6-7 of claim 15, (i.e. the same switch, separate and distinct switches, etc.) from which this claim depends, thereby leaving the boundaries of the claim unclear.
Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 are allowed.
The closest prior art of record to is Zeine (US 20220359984), Liu (US 20240120653), Uemichi (US 12040765), and Shapiro (US 11075612), while teaching phase shifter having a plurality of spaced apart unit cells, including at least four unit cells, between a first and second transmission line, a first switch positioned between the first and second transmission line to couple or uncouple the first and second transmission line, and the unit cells being adjustable into different modes of operation, such as a propagation mode wherein the first switch is off and the second switch is on, connection mode wherein the first switch is on and the second switch is off, and short mode wherein the first and second switch are on, fails to teach or suggest a second switch adjacent to the first switch that couples or prevents coupling of the first switch to ground as recited in independent claims 1 and 9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The most pertinent prior art to independent claims 1, 9 and 15 is Zeine (US 20220359984), which teaches a phase shifter having a first and second transmission line, a first switch positioned between the first and second transmission line to couple or uncouple the first and second transmission line.
Another pertinent prior art to independent claims 1, 9 and 15 is Liu (US 20240120653), which teaches a phase shifter having a plurality of spaced apart unit cells between a first and second transmission line, a first switch positioned between the first and second transmission line to couple or uncouple the first and second transmission line.
A further pertinent prior art to independent claims 1, 9 and 15 is Shapiro (US 11075612), which teaches the unit cells being adjustable into different modes of operation, such as a propagation mode wherein the first switch is off and the second switch is on, connection mode wherein the first switch is on and the second switch is off, and short mode wherein the first and second switch are on.
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/ABIGAIL AMIR YALDO/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843
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