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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the recitation of “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” in claims 1, 10 and the recitation of “providing a power signal from at least two charge pumps to a direct current (DC-DC) converter” in claim 16 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The amendment filed 2/12/26 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows:
The recitation of “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” in claims 1, 10 and the recitation of “providing a power signal from at least two charge pumps to a direct current (DC-DC) converter” in claim 16 is not supported by the original disclosure.
Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, 6-11 and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
With respect to claims 1 and 6-9, the “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” is not supported in the original disclosure. This is because the DC-DC converter is only capable of receiving power from one the first charge pump. The first and second charge pumps are disclosed in Figs. 3-6 (i.e., 304(1) and 304(M), respectively). As can be seen only the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)) is powered by the first charge pump (i.e., 306(1)) and the second charge pump (i.e., 306(M)) is not powering the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)). Rather, a second DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(M)) is powered by the second charge pump (i.e., 306(M)). Furthermore, Figs. 3-6 are the only figures that show the specific details of the powering of the DC-DC converter(s) and active/inactive operations of the circuitry.
It is further noted that claim 7 states that the circuit include “a second DC-DC converter”. The only figures “a second DC-DC converter” are figures 3-6. As can be seen the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)) is only capable of being powered by the first charge pump (i.e., 306(1)) and is no way powered by the second charge pump (306(M)). Therefore, claim 7 further highlights that the “DC-DC converter” is incapable of being powered by the second charge pump.
With respect to claims 10-11 and 14-16, the recitation of “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” is not supported in the original disclosure” in claim 10 is not supported by the original disclosure for the same reasons as discussed with respect to claim 1 above.
With respect to claims 16-19, the recitation of “providing a power signal from at least two charge pumps to a direct current (DC-DC) converter” in claim 16 is not supported by the original disclosure for similar reasons as discussed above with respect to claim 1.
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 1, 6-11 and 14-19 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.
With respect to claims 1 and 6-9, the “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” cannot be understood, since it is not supported in the original disclosure. This is because the DC-DC converter is only capable of receiving power from one the first charge pump. The first and second charge pumps are disclosed in Figs. 3-6 (i.e., 304(1) and 304(M), respectively). As can be seen only the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)) is powered by the first charge pump (i.e., 306(1)) and the second charge pump (i.e., 306(M)) is not powering the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)). Rather, a second DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(M)) is powered by the second charge pump (i.e., 306(M)). Furthermore, Figs. 3-6 are the only figures that show the specific details of the powering of the DC-DC converter(s) and active/inactive operations of the circuitry.
It is further noted that claim 7 states that the circuit include “a second DC-DC converter”. The only figures “a second DC-DC converter” are figures 3-6. As can be seen the DC-DC converter (i.e., 304(1)) is only capable of being powered by the first charge pump (i.e., 306(1)) and is no way powered by the second charge pump (306(M)). Therefore, claim 7 further highlights that the “DC-DC converter” is incapable of being powered by the second charge pump.
Therefore, it cannot be understood if the claims require a single DC-DC converter powered by both the first and second charge pumps, or if the claims require two separate DC-DC converters that are only capable of powering a separate and respective first and second charge pumps.
With respect to claims 10-11 and 14-16, the recitation of “the DC-DC converter configured to receive a power from either the charge pump or the second charge pump” is not supported in the original disclosure” in claim 10 cannot be understood for the same reasons as discussed with respect to claim 1 above.
With respect to claims 16-19, the recitation of “providing a power signal from at least two charge pumps to a direct current (DC-DC) converter” in claim 16 cannot be understood for similar reasons as discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Allowable subject could not be determined for the reasons discussed above with respect to the rejections under 35 U.S.C. section 112.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 6-11 and 14-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Thomas J. Hiltunen whose telephone number is (571)272-5525. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM-5:30PM EST M-F.
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/THOMAS J. HILTUNEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
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