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 3-9 and 13 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.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the second light emitting element" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination the aforementioned limitation will be interpreted as --a second light emitting element--.
Claims 4-9 and 13 are rejected due to their dependence on claim 3.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feil et al (2022/0239291).
In re Claim 1, Feil teaches a semiconductor switch as seen in the Figure comprising: a switching transistor (M1) connected between a pair of output terminals (14 and 15, directly to 14 and to 15 via R5 and M2); a transmission element (L1 and L2) to which an input signal is input (paragraphs 73 and 75); a receiving element (I) configured to generate a first current based on input of the input signal to the transmission element (paragraph 73), wherein the receiving element is isolated from the transmission element (paragraph 73); and a power supply circuit (U1) configured to supply a power supply current to a control electrode of the switching transistor in response to generation of the first current (paragraphs 78-81).
In re Claim 2, Feil teaches the transmission element is a first light emitting element configured to emit light based on input of the input signal (paragraphs 73 and 75), the receiving element has at least a first photovoltaic element configured to generate a photovoltage when receiving light (paragraph 73), the switch further includes a second photovoltaic element (D3) configured to generate a photovoltage when receiving light (paragraph 75), and the power supply circuit outputs the power supply current that has reached a predetermined current in accordance with a current supplied from the second photovoltaic element (paragraphs 89-92, and 102).
In re Claim 10, Feil teaches that the power supply circuit U1 delivers a power supply current to the switching transistor M1 supplied from constant voltage source C1 (paragraph 85).
In re Claim 12, Feil teaches the receiving element I is configured to generate the first current via optical coupling with the transmission element L1 (paragraph 73).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-9 and 13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 11 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In re Claim 3, Feil teaches a second light emitting element (L2), but fails to teach that the second light emitting element is turned on earlier than the first light emitting element L1.
Claims 4-9 and 13 are allowable due to their dependence on claim 3.
In re Claim 11, Feil teaches a second MOSFET M2, but fails to teach that the first and second MOSFET are connected in series and are charged by the power supply current supplied from the constant voltage source in addition to a current generated by the receiving element, and are made conductive.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER JAY CLARK whose telephone number is (571)270-1427. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00am - 6:00pm EST.
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/CHRISTOPHER J CLARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838