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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 1/21/2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of US 11,995,341 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
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 1-17 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 1 recites “a sixth n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS)”, “seventh NMOS transistor” and “eighth NMOS transistor.” However, the claim does not have a first to fifth NMOS transistors which creates confusion to the reader whether these transistors do exist in the claims. This renders the claims indefinite.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant’s representative argues on page 6 “The claims were rejected as being indefinite because claim 1 recites "a sixth n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS)", "seventh NMOS transistor" and "eighth NMOS transistor", without having a first to fifth NMOS transistor which creates confusion to the reader whether these transistors do exist in the claims. Applicant respectfully submits that a first NMOS transistor to an eight NMOS transistor do not indicate any sequential order of NMOS transistors, and are merely used to distinguish different NMOS transistors. Further, a complete and independent technical solution is defined in claim 1, and it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the sixth NMOS transistor, the seventh NMOS transistor, and the eighth NMOS transistor in claim 1 are three different specific NMOS transistors. Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that claim 1 is clear and definite.”
The applicant can use any names to distinguish different NMOS transistors as long as it does not make the claim indefinite. In this case, using the term e.g. sixth NMOS transistor will make it unclear whether there are any other transistor and it would confuse skilled people in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAMDAN N ALROBAIE whose telephone number is (571)270-7099. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday (8AM till 6PM).
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/Khamdan N. Alrobaie/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2824