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 1-17 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, claim 1, the metes and bounds of an electrode pad connected between a capacitor that is a target of detection and a first node, which is capable of externally connecting the capacitor is unclear. As claimed it is unclear as to if the capable of externally connecting the capacitor is actually part of the semiconductor device and if the intended scope of the claims is of the pad.
Examiner interprets the claims as the capacitor being part of the semiconductor device.
Claims 2-8 are rejected for containing 112 limitations above and for depending on rejected base claim.
Regarding claim 9, the claim is indefinite because the claim is drawn to an apparatus but the reference capacitive circuit, determination circuit and correction capacitive circuit are drawn to method steps. (MPEP 2173.05(p)(II) A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. See In re Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation, 639 F.3d 1303, 1318, 97 USPQ2d 1737, 1748-49 (Fed. Cir. 2011).)
Regarding claim 11, the claim is indefinite because the claim is drawn to an apparatus but the controller is drawn to method steps. (MPEP 2173.05(p)(II) A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. See In re Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation, 639 F.3d 1303, 1318, 97 USPQ2d 1737, 1748-49 (Fed. Cir. 2011).)
Regarding claim 12, the claim is indefinite because the claim is drawn to an apparatus but the controller is drawn to method steps. (MPEP 2173.05(p)(II) A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph. See In re Katz Interactive Call Processing Patent Litigation, 639 F.3d 1303, 1318, 97 USPQ2d 1737, 1748-49 (Fed. Cir. 2011).)
Claims 13-17 are rejected for containing 112 rejections above and for depending on rejected base claim.
Examiner’s Note:
Claims 1-17 stand rejected under 35 USC 112(b) as outlined above. No prior art rejection has been applied to these claims because the prior art of record taken alone or in combination fails to teach the following features recited in these claims:
Regarding claim 1, determination circuit that includes a first relay terminal and a second relay terminal, supplies a charging current from the first relay terminal to the electrode pad via the first node, supplies a charging current from the second relay terminal to the reference capacitive circuit via the second node, and subsequently detects electrostatic capacity of the capacitor and determines whether or not the electrostatic capacity of the capacitor has changed by comparing magnitudes of potentials at the first relay terminal and the second relay terminal; and a correction capacitive circuit that applies a designated electrostatic capacity to the first node and is capable of varying the electrostatic capacity as claimed in combination with all other limitations.
Regarding claim 9, a determination circuit that includes a first relay terminal and a second relay terminal, supplies a charging current from the first relay terminal to the electrode of the sensor capacitor via the first node, supplies a charging current from the second relay terminal to the reference capacitive circuit via the second node, and subsequently determines whether or not the electrostatic capacity of the sensor capacitor has changed by comparing magnitudes of potentials at the first relay terminal and the second relay terminal; and a correction capacitive circuit that applies a designated electrostatic capacity to the first node and is capable of varying the electrostatic capacity as claimed in combination with all other limitations of claim 9.
Prior Art:
Otsuka (US 20200274498) disclose A capacitance sensor circuit is provided, including: a capacitance variable capacitor changing from a first capacitance to a second capacitance corresponding to environmental change; a reference capacitor; and an amplifier circuit charging the capacitance variable capacitor via a first node and the reference capacitor via a second node, and outputting a determination signal.
Dauge et al. (US 4187460) disclose This invention relates to a capacitance measuring device for measuring the capacitance of a capacitor to be measured with respect to the calibrated reference capacitance of a capacitor by means of the comparison of the charge and discharge periods of said capacitors during two successive measuring and reference phases of a comparison cycle.
Kim et al. (US 20220390259) disclose the read-out circuit 100 detects a change in capacitance of a capacitor 10 included in a capacitive sensor 1 and generates an output voltage V.sub.OUT corresponding thereto.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW whose telephone number is (571)272-3441. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 5:30-1:30.
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/DEMETRIUS R PRETLOW/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858