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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 1-7 and 21-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 31, it claims that the output of the second signal generation circuitry 145 is coupled to the input of the first signal generation circuitry 135. However, from fig. 1, the output of 145 at SYNCOUT is coupled to SYNCIN of 155, and not SYNCIN of 135. It appears that it is the SYNCOUT of 165 that couples to SYNCIN of 135. Clarification in the claim language is requested to clarify the relationship between these elements to align with that of the figures.
Regarding claim 5, it claims details of the reference signal generation circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, it claims details of the first duty cycle replication circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, it has similar issues as described above in claim 1 where the output of third signal generation circuitry is coupled to the input of 165, not the input of 135.
Regarding claim 21, it claims details of the detection circuitry and the buffer circuitry. However, there are no such elements introduced in parent claim 1.
Regarding claim 29, it claims details of the interlock circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 1.
Regarding claim 33, it claims details of the interlock circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 31.
Regarding claim 34, it claims details of the reference signal generation circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 31.
Regarding claim 35, it claims details of the first duty cycle replication circuitry. However, there is no such element introduced in parent claim 31.
Regarding claims 2-4, 22-28, 30, 32, 36, and 37, these claims are rejected since they depend on claims above.
Conclusion
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/SIBIN CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
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