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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 09/01/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-2, filed 09/01/2026, with respect to claims 12 and 16-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of these claims has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 09/01/2026 with respect to claims 8 and 10-11 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. See rejection below.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The reference numbers in the specification don’t match up with the numbers in the figures and the amended paragraphs introduce new issues.
Par. 33 and 35: Applicant corrected original issue stated in the first office action, but now there is a new issue with the first and second impedance networks. These two amended paragraphs refer to first impedance network 22 with a first resistor 24A and a first capacitor 24B. However, the first impedance network 22 has resistor 22A and capacitor 22B from the drawings. Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (par. 33 lines 8-9) to instead say “The first resistor 22A of the first impedance network 22 also defines a first resistance value “R2” as shown in Fig. 1.” and original par. 33 lines 11-13 to say “the first capacitor 22B of the first impedance network 22 also defines a first capacitance values “C2” as shown in Fig. 1.”
The amended par. 35 should be replaced with the original par. 35.
Par. 37: Similar issues stated above. Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 37 lines 4-7) to instead say “The second resistor 24A of the second impedance network 24 also defines a second resistance value “R1” as shown in Fig. 1. In the present disclosure, the second resistance values “R1” of the second resistor 24A is substantially equal with the first resistance value “R2” of the first resistor 22A.”
Par. 39: Similar issues stated above. Examiner suggest amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 39 lines 4-7) to instead say “The second capacitor 24B of the second impedance network 24 also defines a second capacitance value “C1” as shown in fig. 1. In the present disclosure, the second capacitance value “C1” of the second capacitor 24B is substantially equal with the first capacitance value “C2” of the first capacitor 22B.”
Par. 42: Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 42 lines 4-5) to say “the second parasitic capacitance defines a second parasitic capacitance value that is less than the second capacitance value “C1” of the second capacitor 24B.”
Par. 45: Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 45 lines 3-5) to say “is less than the first resistance value “R2” of the first resistor 22A of the first impedance network 22 and less than the second resistance value “R1” of the second resistor 24B of the second impedance network 24.”
Par. 51: Lines 9-10 should read “The third resistor 42 of the second feedback network 40 also defines a third resistance value “R3” as shown in Fig. 1.”
Par. 75: Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 75 lines 9-11) to say “impedance network 22 outputs the second voltage signal at a second gain value based on the first resistance value “R2” and the first capacitance value “C2” of the first resistor 11A and the first capacitor 22B of the first impedance network 22.”
Par. 76: Examiner suggests amending the ORIGINAL specification (Par. 76 lines 10-13) to say “the second impedance network 24 outputs the second voltage signal at a third gain value based on the second resistance value “R1” and the second capacitance value “C1” of the second resistor 24A and the second capacitor 24B of the second impedance network 24.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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 8 and 10-11 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 8, the language “operatively connected” suggests that there is a switch involved in the circuit. Claim 7, which this claim depends on, mentions first and second switches which are #12 and #46 respectively. However, in claim 8, it says that a capacitor and resistor are operatively connected with the OUTPUT terminal (#4E) of the operational amplifier (#4). Applicant argues that the switches in claim 7 are the switches that operatively connect the capacitor and resistor in claim 8, but switch #12 and #46 are both connected to the INPUT terminal of the op-amp. This language makes the claim unclear and indefinite. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 10 and 11 have the exact same issues. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7, 9, and 12-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art fails to teach an input voltage source architecture operatively connected with the second input terminal of the operational amplifier; and at least one controller operatively connected with each of the first feedback architecture, the second feedback architecture, and the input voltage source architecture; wherein the at least one controller is configured to switch each of the first feedback architecture, the second feedback architecture, and the input voltage source architecture between an operative state and an inoperative state to achieve a predetermined fixed output bias voltage from the operational amplifier.
Claims 8 and 10-11 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAREH SHAMIRYAN whose telephone number is (703)756-4616. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:00AM-4:00PM PT.
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, Andrea Lindgren-Baltzell can be reached at (571) 272-5918. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NAREH SHAMIRYAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843
