UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
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`15/431,508
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`02/13/2017
`
`TAKAAKI KISHIGAMI
`
`731156.584
`
`2520
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panason1e
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
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`SERAYDARYAN‘ HELENA H
`
`ART UNIT
`
`3648
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`05/22/2019
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
`US PTOeACtion @ SeedIP .Com
`
`pairlinkdktg @ seedip .eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/431,508
`Examiner
`HELENA H SERAYDARYAN
`
`Applicant(s)
`KISHIGAMI, TAKAAKI
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`3648
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 02/13/2017.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
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`6 7
`
`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 02/13/2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:] objected to by the Examiner.
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`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)D Some**
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`C)D None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date 02/13/2017; 08/28/2017_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190507
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Priority
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`1.
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`Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C.
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`119 (a)-(d). The certified copy of the foreign priority document has been received on
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`03/23/2017.
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`2.
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`The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/13/2017 and
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`08/28/2017 have been entered and considered. The submission is in compliance with
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`the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
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`lnitialed copies of the PTO-1449 by the Examiner are
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`attached.
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`3.
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`The drawings were received on 02/13/2017. These drawings are acceptable.
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`Drawings
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 3
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`Claim Objections
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`Claims 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities: grammatical
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`errors. Examiner interprets “which in operation, each perform Doppler frequency
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`analyze” to correspond to “which in operation, each perform Doppler frequency
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`analysis” Appropriate correction is required.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
`
`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.
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`Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA),
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`second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly
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`claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the
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`applicant regards as the invention.
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`As for Claim 1, Claim limitation “a plurality of adder circuitry, which in operation, that
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`add tho correlation values calculated every radar transmission period, numbers of additions
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`being different for each of" the piurality of" adders” is unclear.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 4
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that
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`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use,
`on sale or othenNise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed
`invention.
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`Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated
`
`by Kishigami (us 20130127655).
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`As per Claim 1, Kishigami teaches a radar apparatus comprising:
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`a radar transmitter, which in operation, repeatedly transmits a radar transmission
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`signal every radar transmission period, the radar transmission signal including a
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`plurality of pulse-compression codes (fig. 2 (2,6); Par. 0072); and
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`a radar receiver, which in operation, receives a reflected wave signal which is the
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`radar transmission signal being reflected by an object (fig. 2(3); Par. 0072),
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`wherein the radar receiver includes
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`sampling circuitry, which in operation, performs discrete sampling on the
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`reflected wave signal at discrete times based on the radar transmission period (Par.
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`110),
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`correlation calculation circuitry, which in operation, calculates correlation values
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`between results of the discrete sampling and the plurality of pulse- compression codes
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`every radar transmission period (Abs., Par. 0057),
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 5
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`a plurality of adder circuitry, which in operation, that add the correlation values
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`calculated every radar transmission period, numbers of additions being different for
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`each of the plurality of adders (Fig. 2 (20); Par. 0134),
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`a plurality of Doppler frequency analysis circuitry, which in operation, each
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`perform Doppler frequency analyze on the respective results of the additions by the
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`plurality of adder circuitry through fast Fourier transforms (Fig. 2(21); Par. 0134), and
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`Doppler frequency correction circuitry (Par. 0136), which in operation, (i)
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`determines whether or not a folding in a Doppler frequency included in the reflected
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`wave signal is present according to an amplitude difference or phase difference
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`between two of peak spectra of results of the analyses performed by the plurality of
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`Doppler frequency analysis circuitry, and (ii) makes a correction to the Doppler
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`frequency included in the reflected wave signal on the basis of the results of the
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`analyses in a case it is determined that the folding is present (Par. 0139).
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`As per Claim 2, Kishigami teaches the radar apparatus according to Claim 1,
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`wherein the plurality of adder circuitry include a first adder circuitry that adds the
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`correlation values calculated every radar transmission period, a number of additions for
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`the first adder being a first number of additions, and a second adder circuitry that adds
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`the correlation values calculated every radar transmission period, a number of additions
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`for the second adder circuitry being a second number of additions that is smaller than
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`the first number of additions (Par. 0134), and
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`the plurality of Doppler frequency analysis circuitry include a first Doppler
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`frequency analysis circuitry that outputs a first analysis result obtained by performing a
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 6
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`Doppler frequency analysis on a first result of addition of the first adder circuitry, and a
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`second Doppler frequency analysis circuitry that outputs a second analysis result
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`obtained by performing a Doppler frequency analysis on a second result of addition of
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`the second adder circuitry (Par. 0134).
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`As per Claim 3, Kishigami teaches the radar apparatus according to Claim 2,
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`wherein the Doppler frequency correction circuitry selects a peak Doppler frequency
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`each of the discrete times with respect to the second analysis result, and, in a case a
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`phase difference or amplitude difference between the output of the second analysis
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`result and the output of the first analysis result at the peak Doppler frequency thus
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`selected is out of a determined range, determines that the folding in Doppler frequency
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`is present (Par. 0136-0139).
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`As per Claim 4, Kishigami teaches the radar apparatus according to Claim 2,
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`wherein the first Doppler frequency analysis circuitry performs a Doppler frequency
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`analysis on the first result of addition through a discrete Fourier transform with use of a
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`first sampling number (Par. 0134), and
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`the second Doppler frequency analysis circuitry performs a Doppler frequency
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`analysis on the second result of addition through a discrete Fourier transform with use
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`of a second sampling number (Par. 0134).
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`As per Claim 5, Kishigami teaches the radar apparatus according to Claim 1,
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`comprising an output level comparison circuitry and selection circuitry that selects a
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 7
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`determined number of results of addition from among those of the results of addition of
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`the plurality of adder circuitry which are high in output level,
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`wherein the plurality of Doppler frequency analysis circuitry perform Doppler
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`frequency analyses on the determined number of results of addition thus selected (Par.
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`0134, 0176).
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`As per Claim 6, Kishigami teaches the radar apparatus according to Claim 1,
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`wherein the plurality of Doppler frequency analysis circuitry perform Doppler frequency
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`analyses on either of the plurality of results of addition inputted thereto (Par. 0134), and
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`with reference to the results of the analyses performed by the plurality of Doppler
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`frequency analysis circuitry, the Doppler frequency correction circuitry determines
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`whether or not the folding in Doppler frequency in the reflected wave signal is present
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`and makes the correction (Par. 0136-0139).
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`As per Claim 7, Kishigami teaches a radar method comprising:
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`repeatedly transmitting a radar transmission signal every radar transmission
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`period, the radar transmission signal including a plurality of pulse-compression codes
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`(fig. 2 (2,6); Par. 0072); and
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`receiving a reflected wave signal which is the radar transmission signal being
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`reflected by an object (fig. 2(3); Par. 0072),
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`wherein the receiving includes
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`performing discrete sampling on the reflected wave signal at discrete times
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`based on the radar transmission period (Par. 110),
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/431 ,508
`Art Unit: 3648
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`Page 8
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`calculating correlation values between results of the discrete sampling and the
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`plurality of pulse-compression codes every radar transmission period (Abs., Par. 0057),
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`performing plurality of additions of the correlation values calculated every radar
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`transmission period, numbers of additions being different for each of the plurality of
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`additions of the correlation values (Fig. 2 (20); Par. 0134),
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`performing plurality of Doppler frequency analyses on the respective results of
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`addition of the plurality of additions through fast Fourier transforms (Fig. 2(21); Par.
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`0134;
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`determining whether or not a folding in Doppler frequency in the reflected wave
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`signal is present according to an amplitude difference or phase difference between peak
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`spectra of results of the plurality of Doppler frequency analyses, and making a
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`correction to a Doppler frequency included in the reflected wave signal on the basis of
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`the results of the analyses in a case it is determined that the folding is present (Par.
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`0136 - 0139).
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`