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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (U.S. Patent Application No. 20230367105), hereinafter known as Zhang.
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses (Figs. 1-12) a radio wave lens comprising: a first surface (335); a second surface (340) opposite to the first surface; and an optical axis passing through the first surface and the second surface (see Fig. 5), wherein the first surface has concave or convex portions provided concentrically or symmetrically with respect to the optical axis in plan view from a direction along the optical axis (see Fig. 5), and a depth or height of each of the concave or convex portions or a height of each of the convex portions is set according to a distance from the optical axis in the plan view ([0073]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the depth or height of each of the concave or convex portions is set, such that a first reflected wave, which is a radio wave incident on and reflected by the first surface, and a second reflected wave, which is a radio wave returning to the first surface from within after entering the radio wave lens through the first surface and reflected by an inner side of the second surface, cancel each other ([0073]).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the first surface has the concave or convex portions or the convex portions provided concentrically around the optical axis, such that closer to the optical axis, the greater the depth of the concave portions or the heights of the convex portions (see Fig. 3, different configurations shown).
Regarding claim 5, Zhang discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the first surface has the concave or convex portions or the convex portions provided concentrically around the optical axis, such that closer to the optical axis, the smaller the depth of the concave portions or the heights of the convex portions (see Fig. 3, different configurations shown).
Regarding claim 6, Zhang discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the concave or convex portions or the convex portions are provided at equal pitches in a radial direction with respect to the optical axis (see Fig. 3).
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) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Nagai (U.S. Patent Application No. 20060202909), hereinafter known as Nagai.
Regarding claim 8, Zhang teaches the limitations of claim 1, but does not teach further details of the apparatus.
Nagai teaches a radio wave lens apparatus comprising: a waveguide having a first aperture and a second aperture; and the radio wave lens according to Claim 1, the radio wave lens being fixed to the second aperture such that in a state in which the first surface faces the first aperture through the waveguide side (Fig. 20a-20b, [0140]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art include the lens of Zhang in the apparatus of Nagai since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) Using a lens provides increased control over the beam emitted from a waveguide, improving efficiency.
Regarding claim 9, Zhang further teaches a board ([0059]);an integrated circuit chip mounted on the board (215), the integrated circuit chip including comprising a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna disposed thereon (215a-c); and the radio wave lens apparatus according to claim 8 (see above), but does not teach further details regarding the attachment of the elements.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art combine the waveguide and the board such that the antennas are arranged at one aperture and the lens arranged at the second aperture since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to employ/use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, products) in the same way is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) The configuration is the typical orientation for the elements included and would provide the predictable result of a useful wireless system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 7 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.
Geterud (U.S. Patent Application No. 20100283695) teaches a waveguide lens antenna.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MUNOZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1957. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/DANIEL MUNOZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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