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 § 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 31-39 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.
Claim 31 recites the limitation "the timing signal" in line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 32 recites the limitation "the timing signal" in lines 1-2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 33 recites the limitation "the pulses" in line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 34 recites the limitation "the pulses" in lines 1-2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 35 recites the limitation "the actual dead time" in lines 1-2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 35 recites the limitation "the desired dead time" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 36 recites the limitation "the timing signal" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 37 recites the limitation "the desired dead time" in lines 1-2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 37 recites the limitation "the duty cycle" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 37 recites the limitation "the desired slew rate" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 38 recites the limitation "the timing signal" in line 1 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 39 recites the limitation "the pulse" in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 30-37, and 41-42 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 7-8, 10-15 and 22 of U.S. Patent No. 12,519,460. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the instant application are the associated method of the apparatus of the patent claims.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 29 and 43-56 are allowed.
Claims 38-40 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASSANDRA F COX whose telephone number is (571)272-1741. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-4:30; off alt Fridays.
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/CASSANDRA F COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849