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 .
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 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.
Examiner’s Note
1. All the words in the language of the claims of which the specifications do not provide a definition in the form stated in the MPEP, the examiner has interpreted them by their plain meanings, pursuant to the MPEP 2111.01 “Plain Meaning” and MPEP 2173.01.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Claim(s) 15-18, 21 and 22 are/is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WASHIZU (Pub. No.: US 2020/0033292 hereinafter mentioned “Washizu”, which was submitted via IDS).
As per claim 15, Washizu, in the embodiment of Fig. 6, discloses:
A method of reducing noise in a nanopore signal at an input of an amplifier (See MPEP 2111.02, Effect of Preamble, and II. Preamble Statements Reciting Purpose or Intended Use), the method comprising:
applying a voltage to a nanopore to produce the nanopore signal (Fig. 6, see the voltage source 220 and nanopore device 100. Also see [0069] and [0043]) at the input of the amplifier (Fig. 6, see the amplifier 212. Also see [0063]);
configuring an aspect of a feedback circuit coupled to and situated between an output of the amplifier and the input of the amplifier (Fig. 6, see the any one or all of the components Cf2, Rf2, Rf1 and Cf1 being configured/arranged to form the feedback-circuit of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063]);
detecting a characteristic of an amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]);
adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit (Fig. 6, see the second resistor Rf2 that is configured as a variable/adjustable resistor of the feedback-circuit of the amplifier 212, which provides an adjustable-circuit-constant, by the instructions of processing apparatus 300 via calibration controller 250. Also see [0065]-[0066]) in response to (see [0025], claim-1 and claim-3. The adjustable circuit constant is provided by adjusting the resistor Rf2 of the feedback circuit in response to the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212) the detected characteristic of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]); and
the feedback circuit injecting a feedback signal at the input of the amplifier (Fig. 6, see the feedback circuit formed by the components Cf2, Rf2, Rf1 and Cf1 injecting an input to the amplifier 212. Also see [0063]).
As per claim 16, Washizu discloses the method of claim 15 as described above.
Washizu further discloses:
wherein the aspect of the feedback circuit is a capacitance (Fig. 6, see any of the capacitors Cf2 and Cf1 being configured/arranged to form the feedback-circuit of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063]).
As per claim 17, Washizu discloses the method of claim 15 as described above.
Washizu further discloses:
wherein the characteristic of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]) comprises at least one of:
(a) a signal-to-noise ratio;
(b) an error rate associated with an error correcting code protecting data represented by the nanopore signal;
(c) a downstream process or component determining the characteristic of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, see the component or processing apparatus 300 downstream the output-signal Ds-Vs for determining the same. Also see [0065]-[0066]);
(d) a stability;
(e) an amount of oscillation.
As per claim 18, Washizu discloses the method of claim 15 as described above.
Washizu further discloses:
wherein detecting the characteristic of the amplifier output signal comprises processing a digitized version of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D digitizer 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]).
As per claim 21, Washizu discloses the method of claim 15 as described above.
Washizu further discloses determining an optimized aspect of the feedback circuit by iteratively (see [0065]. The iterations are implicit based on the adjustable nature of Rf2, which implies different values. Furthermore, electronic devices are made to iterative/repetitive performing its functional work)
(a) detecting the characteristic of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]), and
(b) adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit (Fig. 6, see the second resistor Rf2 that is configured as a variable/adjustable resistor of the feedback-circuit of the amplifier 212, which provides an adjustable-circuit-constant, by the instructions of processing apparatus 300 via calibration controller 250. Also see [0065]-[0066]) in response to (see [0025], claim-1 and claim-3. The adjustable circuit constant is provided by adjusting the resistor Rf2 of the feedback circuit in response to the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212) to the detected characteristic of the amplifier output signal (Fig. 6, the detailed characteristic values acquired by the data-processing-apparatus 300 from the output-signal Ds-Vs from the A/D 230 and the transimpedance amplifier 210A, which also contains the output of the amplifier 212. Also see [0063], [0043] and [0025]).
As per claim 22, Washizu discloses the method of claim 21 as described above.
Washizu further discloses:
storing information identifying the optimized aspect of the feedback circuit in memory (Fig. 6, the memory of the data-processing-apparatus 300. Also see [0063], [0040], [0043] and [0025]).
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 of this title, 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.
3. Claim(s) 23 are/is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Washizu.
As per claim 23, Washizu discloses the method of claim 22 as described above.
Washizu further discloses:
the information identifying the optimized (see [0065]) aspect of the feedback circuit from the memory (Fig. 6, the memory of the data-processing-apparatus 300. Also see [0063], [0040], [0043] and [0025]), and
wherein configuring the aspect of the feedback circuit comprises configuring the aspect in accordance with the information identifying the optimized aspect of the feedback circuit.
But Washizu does not explicitly disclose retrieving said information.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find an obvious choice to try retrieving said information with the motivation and expected benefit related to improving the calibration process by correlating the measured information and reduce waveform distortion (Washizu, Paragraph [0058]), while raising precision of the measurements (Washizu, Paragraph [0043]).
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claim(s) 19-20 are/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.
5. The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for the objection:
6. Regarding claim 19, the prior art of record, alone or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the below underlined limitations incorporated together with the other claimed limitations not mentioned herein:
wherein the characteristic of the amplifier output signal comprises a stability, and wherein adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit in response to the detected characteristic of the amplifier output signal comprises: adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit to increase an amount of feedback provided at the input of the amplifier; detecting an onset of instability in the amplifier output signal after adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit to increase the amount of feedback provided at the input of the amplifier; and in response to detecting the onset of instability in the amplifier output signal, adjusting the aspect of the feedback circuit to decrease the amount of feedback provided at the input of the amplifier.
7. Claim(s) 20 is/are allowed due to the fact that they further limit and depend on claim 15.
8. The prior art of record does not anticipate the limitations of the independent claims.
Furthermore, there is not any obvious motivation for an ordinary skilled in the art to combine some and/or all of the features of the prior art of record to achieve the features of the allowable subject matter. In addition, it will further require substantial structural modification of the components that will also require substantial modification of the measurements, signal processing and configurations to achieve the features of the allowable subject matter.
Reasons for Allowability / Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 1-14 are allowed.
10. The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
11. Regarding claim 1, the prior art of record, alone or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the below underlined limitations incorporated together with the other claimed limitations not mentioned herein:
control logic coupled to the feedback circuit and to the multiplexer and configured to: control the multiplexer to select a first nanopore unit of the plurality of nanopore units for reading, and configure the feedback circuit to provide a first amount of feedback for the first nanopore unit.
12. Claims 2-14 are allowed due to the fact that they further limit and depend on claim 1.
13. The prior art of record does not anticipate the limitations of the independent claims.
Furthermore, there is not any obvious motivation for an ordinary skilled in the art to combine some and/or all of the features of the prior art of record to achieve the features of the independent claim. In addition, it will further require substantial structural modification of the components that will also require substantial modification of the measurements, signal processing and configurations to achieve the features of the allowable subject matter.
14. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please note that any strikethrough portion of the claim language below is not taught by corresponding prior art.
a) Kim (Pub. No.: US 2017/0145481) teaches system for detecting molecules, the system comprising:
an array comprising a plurality of nanopore units (Also see [0070]-[0076]);
drive circuitry coupled to the array of nanopore units (Also see [0070]-[0076]);
an amplifier (Fig. 15, the memory of the data-processing-apparatus 300. Also see [0070]-[0076]);
a multiplexer coupled to the array of nanopore units and to an input of the amplifier (Fig. 15, the memory of the data-processing-apparatus 300. Also see [0070]-[0076]);
a feedback circuit coupled to an output of the amplifier and to the input of the amplifier (Fig. 15, the memory of the data-processing-apparatus 300. Also see [0070]-[0076]); and
b) Chen (Pub. No.: US 2014/0221249) teaches “A method of analyzing molecules using a nanopore array including a plurality of cells included on a chip is disclosed. Nanopores are caused to be formed in at least a portion of the plurality of the cells. A first physical measurement of the nanopores is evaluated. It is determined whether to cause the molecules to interact with the nanopores” (Abstract).
c) Chen (Pub. No.: US 2019/0004027) teaches an array comprising a plurality of nanopore units, each of the plurality of nanopore units comprising a nanopore, a sense electrode, and a counter electrode and “A semiconductor device includes a circuit layer and a nanopore layer. The nanopore layer is formed on the circuit layer and is formed with a pore therethrough. The circuit layer includes a circuit unit configured to drive a biomolecule through the pore and to detect a current associated with a resistance of the nanopore layer, whereby a characteristic of the biomolecule can be determined using the currents detected by the circuit unit” (Paragraphs [0035]-[0044] and Abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALVARO E. FORTICH whose telephone number is (571) 272-0944. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Huy Phan, can be reached on (571)272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALVARO E FORTICH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858