`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`wwwusptogov
`
`
`
`
`
`14/842,880
`
`09/02/2015
`
`HIROSHI IWAI
`
`731156.491
`
`5979
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLPflDanasonic
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`DAWKINS’ COLLIN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2845
`
`PAPER NUIVIBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/15/2017
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`patentinfo @ seedip.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 14/842,880 IWAI ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`StatusYes COLLIN DAWKINS 2845
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with 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 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If 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).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 09/02/2015.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|ZI This action is non-final.
`2a)|:l This action is FINAL.
`3)|:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; 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
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)IZI Claim(s) 1-11 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6)|:I Claim(s)
`7)|Z| Claim(s 1,5 and 9-11 is/are rejected.
`)
`8)|Z| Claim(s) 2-4 and 6-8 is/are objected to.
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)|:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit
`:/'I’\WIIW.usnto. ovI’ atents/init events/
`
`
`
`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Xl The drawing(s) filed on 09/02/2015 is/are: a)IXI accepted or b)|:l objected to by the Examiner.
`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)IXI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a)IZl All
`
`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
`
`1.IXI Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) E InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date 09/02/2015 and 02/17/2016.
`
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20170110
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
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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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`2.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
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`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
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`the same under either status.
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`3.
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`This Office Action is response to Applicant’s communication filed on 09/02/2015.
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`In virtue of this communication, claims 1-11 are currently presented in the instant
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`application.
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`Priority
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`4.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which
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`papers have been placed of record in the file.
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`5.
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`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/02/2015 and
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`02/17/2016 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the
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`information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. A marked up
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`copy of form PTO/SB/08a is attached to this action as requested by the applicant.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`6.
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`The drawing submitted on 09/02/2015 is accepted as part of the formal applicant.
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`Drawings
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`Specification
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`7.
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`The specification is accepted as part of the formal application. Applicant
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`cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware
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`in the specification.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`8.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`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 of this title, 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.
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`9.
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`Claim 1, 5 and 9-11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Uematsu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 5,579,019) in view of Lalezari (U.S. Pub. No.
`
`2010/0141527 A1).
`
`Regarding claim 1, Uematsu et al. (‘019) teaches in Figure 1-3, a plurality of
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`slot array antennas (Column 3, line 10-30 plurality of slots antenna) which are
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`arranged and each of which includes a plurality of slot antennas and a radiation
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`surface (Column 3, line 10-30 upper surface of the slot antenna); and a plurality
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`of waveguides (Column 3, line 10-30 plurality of waveguide supplying power)
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`each of which supplies respective power to each of the plurality of slot array
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`antennas.
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`However Uematsu et al. (‘019) fails to explicitly teach about the radiation surface
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`having a conformal shape.
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`Lalezari (‘52?) teaches the radiation surface (Fig.10a, ref.73) having a conformal
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`shape (Paragraph [0085]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Uematsu et al. (‘019) with the
`
`radiation surface having a conformal shape, as suggested by Lalezari (‘527), in
`
`order to improve the low profile of the antenna surface and the multiple beam
`
`performance. Furthermore, modifying a slotted array antenna by adding the
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`radiation surface having a conformal shape will provide the ability to form multiple
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`beams such as to generate and track multiple targets (Lalezari (‘527):abstract).
`
`Regarding claim 5, The combination teaching of Uematsu et al. (‘019) and
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`Lalezari (‘52?) disclose all the claimed limitations set forth in Figure 1-3,
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`including each of the plurality of slot array antennas includes a plurality of slot
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`antennas which are parallel to each other (Uematsu et al. (‘019): Column 9, line
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`24-36 are parallel to each other).
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`Regarding claim 9, Uematsu et al. (‘019) teaches in Figure 1-3, at least two
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`array antenna devices (subarray A & subarray B), each of the at least two array
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`antenna devices comprising: a plurality of slot array antennas (Column 3, line 10-
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`30 plurality of slots antenna) which are arranged and each of which includes a
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`plurality of slot antennas and a radiation surface (Column 3, line 10-30 upper
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`surface of the slot antenna); and a plurality of waveguides (Column 3, line 10-30
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`plurality of waveguide supplying power) each of which supplies respective power
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`to each of the plurality of slot array antennas, wherein one of the at least two
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`array antenna devices is used as a transmission array antenna device, and the
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`other of the at least two array antenna device is used as a reception array
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`antenna device (Column 12, line 3-9 the antenna may also be applied to a
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`transmitting or receiving antenna).
`
`However Uematsu et al. (‘019) fails to explicitly teach about the radiation surface
`
`having a conformal shape.
`
`Lalezari (‘527) teaches the radiation surface (Fig.10a, ref.73) having a conformal
`
`shape (Paragraph [0085]).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
`
`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Uematsu et al. (‘019) with the
`
`radiation surface having a conformal shape, as suggested by Lalezari (‘527), in
`
`order to improve the low profile of the antenna surface and the multiple beam
`
`performance. Furthermore, modifying a slotted array antenna by adding the
`
`radiation surface having a conformal shape will provide the ability to form multiple
`
`beams such as to generate and track multiple targets (Lalezari (‘527):abstract).
`
`Regarding claim 10, Uematsu et al. (‘019) teaches in Figure 1-3, at least two
`
`array antenna devices (subarray A & subarray B), each of the at least two array
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`antenna devices comprising: a plurality of slot array antennas (Column 3, line 10-
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`30 plurality of slots antenna) which are arranged and each of which includes a
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`plurality of slot antennas and a radiation surface (Column 3, line 10-30 upper
`
`surface of the slot antenna); and a plurality of waveguides (Column 3, line 10-30
`
`plurality of waveguide supplying power) each of which supplies respective power
`
`to each of the plurality of slot array antennas, wherein one of the at least two
`
`array antenna devices is used as the transmission array antenna device, and the
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`other of the at least two array antenna device is used as the reception array
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`antenna device (Column 12, line 3-9 the antenna may also be applied to a
`
`transmitting or receiving antenna).
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`However Uematsu et al. (‘019) fails to explicitly teach about the radiation surface
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`having a conformal shape; a radio transmission circuit which is connected to a
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`transmission array antenna device, and a radio reception circuit which is
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`connected to a reception array antenna device.
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`Lalezari (‘527) teaches the radiation surface (Fig.10a, ref.73) having a conformal
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`shape (Paragraph [0085]); a radio transmission circuit (Fig.8b, ref.30) which is
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`connected to a transmission array antenna device, and a radio reception circuit
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`(Fig.8b, ref.40) which is connected to a reception array antenna device
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`(Paragraph [0078]).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
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`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Uematsu et al. (‘019) with the
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`radiation surface having a conformal shape; a radio transmission circuit which is
`
`connected to a transmission array antenna device, and a radio reception circuit
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`which is connected to a reception array antenna device, as suggested by
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`Lalezari (‘527), in order to improve the low profile of the antenna surface and the
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`multiple beam performance. Furthermore, modifying a slotted array antenna by
`
`adding the radiation surface having a conformal shape; a radio transmission
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`circuit which is connected to a transmission array antenna device, and a radio
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`reception circuit which is connected to a reception array antenna device will
`
`provide the ability to form multiple beams such as to generate and track multiple
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`targets (Lalezari (‘527):abstract).
`
`Regarding claim 11, Uematsu et al. (‘019) fails to explicitly teach about the
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`radio communication device is a radar device.
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`However Lalezari (‘527) teaches the radio communication device is a radar
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`device (Paragraph [0015]).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the filing date
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`of the invention, to modify the teachings of Uematsu et al. (‘019) with the radio
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`communication device is a radar device of Lalezari (‘527) in order to improve the
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`low profile of the antenna surface and the multiple beam performance.
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`Furthermore, the skilled artisan would have modified the teaching of Uematsu et
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`al. (‘019) by adding the radio communication device is a radar device, that would
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`have yield the predictable results, such as providing the ability to form multiple
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`beams in order to generate and track multiple targets (Lalezari (‘527):abstract).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`10.
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`Regarding claim 2 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
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`the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`11.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “surface
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`treatment is performed with plating with respect to an inner surface of the
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`plurality of waveguides”, in combination with the entirety of the claimed scope.
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`12.
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`Regarding claim 3 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
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`the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`13.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “waveguides
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`adjacent to each other among the plurality of waveguides are separated from
`
`each other by a lateral wall, and the plurality of waveguides are divided into two
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`in a longitudinal direction of the waveguides and a short side width of the
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`waveguides is decreased from a dividing position toward a waveguide end
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`portion”, in combination with the entirety of the claimed scope.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`14.
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`Regarding claim 4 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
`
`the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`15.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “the plurality
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`of slot array antennas are respectively formed on a narrow wall surface of the
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`plurality of waveguides”, in combination with the entirety of the claimed scope.
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`16.
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`Regarding claim 6 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
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`the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`17.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “the plurality
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`of slot antennas are formed on an end portion of a short side direction of the
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`narrow wall surface along a longitudinal direction of the narrow wall surface of
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`the waveguides in such a manner that rotation directions of electric fields of
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`adjacent slot antennas in adjacent slot array antennas are opposed to each
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`other”, in combination with the entirety of the claimed scope.
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`18.
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`Regarding claim 7 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
`
`the base claim and any intervening claims.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 10
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`19.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “part or all
`
`lateral walls which separate the plurality of waveguides are formed such that the
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`lateral walls are not orthogonal to a power supply surface”, in combination with the
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`entirety of the claimed scope.
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`20.
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`Regarding claim 8 is objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
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`but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of
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`the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`21.
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`The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject
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`matter: a search for the prior art does not teach nor reasonably suggest, “the plurality
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`of slot array antennas have three or more beam reference directions which are
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`different from each other on a radiation surface, and a predetermined beam
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`directivity is obtained by using four or more slot array antennas with respect to
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`each of the beam reference directions”, in combination with the entirety of the
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`claimed scope.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to COLLIN DAWKINS whose telephone number is
`
`(571 )270-1 087. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8:30am to
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`6:00pm EST); OFF Alt. Friday.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/842,880
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`Page 11
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`Art Unit: 2845
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`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 Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, DAMEON LEVI can be reached on (571) 272-2105. The fax phone number
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`for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571 -273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
`
`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`
`/COLLIN DAWKINS/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2845
`
`