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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Suzuki et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20250219681), hereinafter known as Suzuki.
Regarding claim 1, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) a reflect array comprising: a ground layer; a dielectric layer; and an element pattern layer having a plurality of element patterns, wherein a thickness t (mm), which is a thickness of the dielectric layer, and an element length 1 (mm), which is a length of each of the plurality of element patterns, satisfy the following relational formula:1 > 4.4xt and 0.001 < t < 0.25 ... (6) ([0023] indicates the frequency of operation, [0059] indicates the elements are reflective, so must be at least a quarter wavelength, [0055] indicates the thickness of the dielectric).
Regarding claim 2, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein a wavelength X0 (mm), which is a wavelength at a design frequency, and a thickness t (mm), which is a thickness of the dielectric layer, satisfy the following relational formula:0.001< t <o.o65xXo ... (7) ([0023],[0059],[0055]).
Regarding claim 3, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein the ground layer has a surface resistance of 100 Q/w or less ([0079]).
Regarding claim 4, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein at least one of the ground layer and the element pattern layer is made of Cu or Al (0079]).
Regarding claim 5, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein the at least one layer has a thickness of 1 m or less ([0079], ground shown to be thinner than dielectric).
Regarding claim 6, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein an element width w, which is a width of the element patterns, is 3 mm or less ([0023],[0055], [0079]).
Regarding claim 7, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) wherein desired reflection phase characteristics are obtained when the element width w, which is a width of the element pattern, is varied within a predetermined range ([0059]).
Regarding claim 8, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) further comprising an adhesion- enhancement layer (112a, 112b).
Regarding claim 9, Suzuki discloses (Figs. 1-16) further comprising a functional layer (104 or 180).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nagaoka et al. (WO 2024204632 A1) teaches a reflectarray.
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
