DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination, filed 08 January 2026.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s amendment, filed on 19 December 2025. The changes and remarks disclosed therein have been considered.
Claims 1 and 3-21 are pending in the application. Claim 18 is currently amended. Claims 1, 11 and 18 are independent claims.
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.
(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) 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu (US 2021/0225830).
Re: independent claim 18, Liu discloses in figs. 1A-1B and 3A-3C a level shifting circuit, comprising: a plurality of transistors (fig. 3C) configured to convert a signal of a first voltage level to a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level; a frontside power line (fig. 1A: TVDD) disposed above the transistors, the frontside power line delivering the first voltage level to a first source/drain region of the transistors; a frontside ground line (fig. 1A: VSS) disposed above the transistors, the frontside ground line configured to deliver a ground reference voltage to the transistors, the frontside ground line extending lengthwise in a first direction (x-direction); a backside power line (fig. 1B: VVDD) disposed under the transistors, the backside power line delivering the second voltage level to a second source/drain region of the transistors; and a backside ground line (VVDD) disposed under the transistors, the backside ground line configured to deliver the ground reference voltage to the transistors, the backside ground line extending lengthwise in the first direction (x-direction) (A recitation of the intended use of the claimed invention must result in a structural difference between the claimed invention and the prior art in order to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art. If the prior art structure is capable of performing the intended use, then it meets the claim. MPEP § 2114.).
Re: claim 20, Liu discloses in figs. 1A-1B and 3A-3C the level shifting circuit of claim 18, further comprising: another backside power line (fig. 1B: VVDD) disposed under the transistors and configured to deliver the first voltage level to the first source/drain region of the transistors.
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) 19 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2021/0225830).
Re: claims 19 and 21, Liu discloses the level shifting circuit of claim 18.
Liu does not disclose expressly wherein a width of the backside power line is larger than a width of the frontside power line; and wherein a width of the backside ground line is larger than a width of the frontside ground line.
However, dimensional limitations are prime facie obvious unless there is disclosure that the relative dimensions produce new and unexpected results, are for some unobvious purpose or are otherwise critical. See MPEP §2144.04.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 3-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The record as a whole makes clear the reasons for allowability.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08 January 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Liu does not disclose wherein the frontside ground line and the backside ground line extend in a first direction.
In response, Liu discloses in figs. 1A-1B wherein the frontside ground line TVDD extends in the x-direction and wherein the backside ground line VVDD extends in the x-direction. Therefore, the frontside ground line and the backside ground line extend in a first direction.
Conclusion
The examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with the line numbers and page numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist the examiner in locating appropriate paragraphs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLISON BERNSTEIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9011. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM.
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/ALLISON BERNSTEIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2824 1/26/2026