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 § 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.
(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.
Claims 1-2, 6-7 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Morton (US 2014/0292856.)
Regarding claim 1,
Morton discloses an integrated circuit [251 in figs. 2 and 5] for a fluid ejection device [250 in fig. 2; paragraph 0025], the integrated circuit comprising:
a data interface [‘Data’ in figs. 5-6];
an output interface [274 / 276 in fig. 6]; and
a shift register [272 in figs. 5-6] to shift nozzle data into the integrated circuit through the data interface and shift the nozzle data out of the integrated circuit through the output interface [paragraph 0032.]
Regarding claim 2,
Morton further discloses the integrated circuit further comprising:
a configuration register [‘Clock’ in figs. 5-6] storing data to enable or disable the shifting of the nozzle data out of the integrated circuit through the output interface [paragraph 0032.]
Regarding claim 6,
Morton further discloses wherein the data interface comprises a single contact pad, a single pin, a single bump, or a single wire [as seen in figs. 5-6.]
Regarding claim 7,
Morton further discloses wherein the output interface comprises a single contact pad, a single pin, a single bump, or a single wire [as seen in figs. 5-6.]
Regarding claim 21,
Morton further discloses wherein the nozzle data shifted out of the integrated circuit through the output interface is the same nozzle data shifted into the integrated circuit through the data interface [paragraph 0032.]
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.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morton in view of Anderson et al. (US 2017/0348968.)
Regarding claim 3,
Morton discloses the claimed limitations as set forth above and further discloses the integrated circuit further comprising: a fire interface [‘Fire’ / 285 in figs. 5-6], but fails to expressly teach a delay circuit to receive a fire signal through the fire interface and output a delayed fire signal through the output interface.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Anderson discloses an integrated circuit for a fluid ejection device, the integrated circuit comprising:
a data interface ['Serial Column Data' in fig. 6; paragraphs 0066-0069];
an output interface [108 / 110 in figs. 1a and 1c; paragraphs 0032-0041];
a shift register [107a-107n in figs. 1a and 6; paragraphs 0032-0039, 0066-0069];
a fire interface [600 in fig. 6]; and
a delay circuit [109a-109n in fig. 6] to receive a fire signal through the fire interface and output a delayed fire signal through the output interface [paragraphs 0066-0069.]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the Morton invention to include means for receiving a fire signal through a fire interface and output a delayed fire signal through an output interface as taught by Anderson for the purpose of achieving precise droplet placement and volume at high speeds during the printing operation.
Regarding claim 4,
In the obvious combination, Anderson discloses the integrated circuit further comprising:
a configuration register [115 in fig. 6] storing data to enable or disable the output of the delayed fire signal through the output interface [paragraphs 0021, 0041, 0066, and 0068.]
Regarding claim 5,
In the obvious combination, Anderson discloses the integrated circuit further comprising:
an analog circuit [106 in fig. 1a] to output an analog signal to the output interface [paragraphs 0032-0033 and 0041]; and
control logic to activate the analog circuit or the shift register to shift the nozzle data out of the integrated circuit through the output interface [para 0032-0033, and 0041.]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Akune (US 2016/0009080) discloses an integrated circuit comprising: a data interface [terminal for regDATA in fig. 5]; an output interface [terminal for regOUT in fig. 5]; a shift register [41 in fig. 5; paragraph 0160.]
Communication with the USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANNELLE M LEBRON whose telephone number is (571)272-2729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JANNELLE M LEBRON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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