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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II, encompassing claims 18-29 in the reply filed on June 11, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that;
“Applicant submits that examination of the full set of claims 1-29 (encompassed by Groups I and II) is more efficient than separate examination of each invention group and would require minimal additional search and not impose serious additional burden. For example, both groups of claims are directed to a FET switch stack and identify numerous common features including a stacked arrangement of FET switches and feeds including resistors and bypass switches. Furthermore, the Restriction Requirement merely states in a conclusory manner that "a different field of search" and/or "[t]he prior art applicable to one invention would not likely be applicable to another invention" apply. However, MPEP § 808.02 requires "appropriate explanation" for each invention. No such explanation is provided in the Restriction Requirement.”
This is not found persuasive because each Group requires a different field of search (e.g., employing different search queries). More specifically, Group II recites limitations of “a body charge control ladder”, “a plurality of body charge control feeds” which are not recited in Group I; and Group I recites limitations of “the stacked arrangement connected at one end to an RF terminal configured to be coupled to an RF signal, the stacked arrangement configured to have an ON steady state where the FET switches are ON, an OFF steady state where the FET switches are OFF, and transition states where the FET switches are transitioning from ON to OFF and vice versa”, and “a plurality of gate feed arrangements” which are not recited in Group II. Therefore, the examiner contends that each Groups I and II requires a different field of search (e.g., employing different search queries), and/or that the prior art applicable to one Group would not likely be applicable to another Group.
For the foregoing reasons, the examination of the full set of claims 1-29 would impose serious additional burden.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 28-29 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.
As to claim 28, the recitations “the plurality of body feed arrangements”, and “the plurality of gate feed arrangements” lack clear antecedent basis. In addition, it is not clear as to how each of “the plurality of body feed arrangements”, and “the plurality of gate feed arrangements” operates and connects with respect to remaining elements of the claim.
As to claim 29, it is not clear as to how each of “each body feed arrangement”, and “a corresponding gate feed arrangement” operates and connects with respect to remaining elements of the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-27 are allowed.
Shapiro (US 11,405,034 B1) discloses a FET switch stack (see figure 2) comprising: a stacked arrangement of FET switches including a bottom FET switch (see the bottom FET switch), a top FET switch (see the top FET switch), and a plurality of intermediate FET switches (see two intermediate FET switches) connected in series between the bottom FET switch and the top FET switch, the stacked arrangement having a height extending between the bottom FET switch and the top FET switch; a body charge control ladder (see ladder comprising a plurality of Rrail and Rrung) comprising a plurality of rung branches (see a plurality of Rrung) and a plurality of rail branches (see a plurality of Rrail), each rail branch being connected between two rung branches, each rung branch being connected between one or more rail branches and a body of a FET switch in the stacked arrangement of FET switches (see figure 2); and a body charge control feed (see legends “VbodyFEED”) comprising a plurality of bypassable resistors 320 connected in series and a plurality of bypass switches (see figures 2 and 3), each bypass switch being connected across one or more corresponding bypassable resistors 320 (see column 4 lines 10-13), each body charge control feed being coupled to the body charge control ladder (see figure 2 which shows the “VbodyFEED” connecting to the ladder comprising a plurality of Rrail and Rrung).
Shanjani (US 10,396,772 B2) discloses a FET switch stack (see figure 4G) comprising: a stacked arrangement of FET switches including a bottom FET switch Mn, a top FET switch M1, and a plurality of intermediate FET switches M2… connected in series between the bottom FET switch Mn and the top FET switch M1, the stacked arrangement having a height extending between the bottom FET switch Mn and the top FET switch M1.
Regarding independent claim 18, Shapiro, and Shanjani, either alone or in combination, fails to disclose a plurality of body charge control feeds each comprising a plurality of bypassable resistors connected in series and a plurality of bypass switches, each bypass switch being connected across one or more corresponding bypassable resistors, each body charge control feed being coupled to the body charge control ladder, the body charge control feeds being offset from each other along the body charge control ladder.
Regarding dependent claims 19-27, they are allowed for similar reasons with respect to independent claim 18 as set forth above.
Claims 28-29 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shrivastava (US 11,777,485 B1); Malladi (US 12,395,171 B2); and Nobbe (US 2015/0091650 A1) disclose FET switch stack.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN THANH VO whose telephone number is (571)272-7901. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeanette J Parker can be reached at (571) 270-3647. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NGUYEN T VO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
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