DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the first type,” “the second type” and “the other one of N-type and P-type” lack antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “unit” in all claims.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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) 1, 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ting (5,334,882) in view of Kasai et al. (2021/0187941) and official notice.
Regarding claim 1, Ting teaches an electronic device comprising:
a sampling and holding circuit (fig. 1, see illustration below for all limitations), comprising:
a sampling unit configured to receive a data signal, wherein the sampling unit comprises a first control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the input terminal, the sampling unit comprises a first-type transistor (see illustration, note N-type mosfet);
a register unit having an input terminal and an output terminal, the input terminal being coupled to the sampling unit, and the output terminal being configured to output a first signal; and
a feedback unit coupled to the input terminal and the output terminal of the register unit, wherein the feedback unit comprises a second control terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, the second control terminal is coupled to the first control terminal, the third terminal is coupled to the input terminal and the fourth terminal is coupled to the output terminal, and the feedback unit comprises a second-type transistor (see illustration, note P-type mosfet);
wherein when the feedback unit is turned on, the feedback unit feeds back the first signal to the input terminal, and wherein the first type is either an N-type or P-type and the second type is the other one of N-type and P-type (see illustration).
(Note that the term “register unit” can mean almost anything as any number of basic circuits contain registers. Further, even if a circuit did not contain a register, any given circuit could be called a register unit as the claim does not specify that the register unit contains a register. The same logic applies to the claimed “sampling unit” and the claimed “feedback unit”).
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Ting does not teach a heater coupled to the sampling and holding circuit. Kasai teaches wherein the output of a buffer amplifier of a circuit similar to that disclosed by Ting is used to operate heaters of a thermal liquid ejection head (Kasai, [0062], see fig. 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the circuit disclosed by Ting with the heaters disclosed by Kasai because doing so would amount to the simple combination of one known drive circuit with a known load to obtain predictable results.
Ting in view of Kasai does not teach wherein the transistors are thin-film transistors. Examiner takes official notice that it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use thin-film transistors for the transistors disclosed by Ting in view of Kasai because think-film transistors were commonly used in the art at the time of invention.
Regarding claim 7, Ting in view of Kasai teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the register unit is a buffer amplifier (Ting, see fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8, Ting in view of Kasai teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the heater is a thermal inkjet (Kasai, see fig. 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in light of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/ALEJANDRO VALENCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
