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 .
Non-Final communication in response to communication filed 4/19/24.
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 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 1,2,4-7, 11, 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu 20170125383.
With respect to claim 1, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose an apparatus comprising: a circuit component [604] configured to consume power to perform a function; and a power grid [606,608] configured to provide a plurality of redundant paths [paths between switches 606, detail fig. 7or 8] by which the power can flow between the circuit component and one of a power source [para 0090] and ground, to perform the function, wherein the power grid is configured to dynamically select at least one active path of the redundant paths through which the power flows between the circuit component and the one of the power source and ground, to perform the function. [para 0080; logic circuits or other types of circuits represented by tiles]
With respect to claim 2, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power grid is configured to dynamically select the at least one active path at runtime. [para 0001]
With respect to claim 4, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power grid is configured to provide the plurality of redundant paths simultaneously. [Fig. 6 can provide power through all switch elements]
With respect to claim 5, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power grid is comprises a plurality of wires interconnected by switches; and the at least one active path is selected by changing a state of at least some of the switches. [606, figs. 7, 8]
With respect to claim 6, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the switches have the states: on and off. [para. 0119]
With respect to claim 7, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the switches have a states of: connect to a first wire and connect to a second wire. [figs 7 and 8]
With respect to claim 11, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the at least one active path is selected by changing the state of the switches until the circuit component is powered.
With respect to claim 14, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose a method, comprising: consuming power at a circuit component to perform a function;
providing a power grid configured to provide a plurality of redundant paths by which the power can flow between the circuit component and one of a power source and ground, to perform the function, wherein the power grid is configured to dynamically select at least one active path of the redundant paths through which the power flows between the circuit component and the one of the power source and ground, to perform the function. [see claim 1]
With respect to claim 15, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose a non-transitory computer-readable medium to store computer-readable code [para 0013] for fabrication of an apparatus comprising: a circuit component configured to consume power to perform a function; and a power grid configured to provide a plurality of redundant paths by which the power can flow between the circuit component and one of a power source and ground, to perform the function, wherein the power grid is configured to dynamically select at least one active path of the redundant paths through which the power flows between the circuit component and the one of the power source and ground, to perform the function. [see claim 1]
With respect to claim 16, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose a system comprising: the apparatus of claim 1; at least one system component [other TILE]; and a board, wherein the apparatus and the at least one system component are assembled on the board. [fig. 6 is example of 3D-IC shown in figs. 1-5]
With respect to claim 17, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose a chip-containing product comprising the system of claim 16 assembled on a further board with at least one other product component. [see figs 1A and 1B]
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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 and 10, 12, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu 20170125383 in view of Fleming et al. 20180336372.
With respect to claim 3, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the power grid is configured to dynamically select the at least one active path with a predetermined frequency.
However, selecting charge paths based on a refresh frequency. [para 0109-0111, fig. 10]
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to select power paths based on a frequency to which elements need power since it was a known technique in the art.
With respect to claim 10, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 5, but does not disclose wherein the at least one active path is selected by setting each of the switches to a random state.
However, Fleming et al. discloses random selection of charge paths as a side channel attack protection technique. [para 0103]
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to select charge paths randomly to protect the circuitry from side attacks as it was a known technique in the art.
With respect to claim 12, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the function is an arithmetic, combinatorial, or cryptographic function.
However, Figures 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 ; para 0096- 0123 of Fleming et al disclose switching functions to vary paths for power to a protected circuit to prevent side channel attacks.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to use combinatorial and arithmetic functions to vary the power path to protect from side attacks as it was a known technique in the art.
With respect to claim 13, figures 6-8 of Liu disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose comprising: a plurality of power sources configured to provide power, including the power source; and the plurality of redundant paths enable power to flow from one of the power sources to the circuit component to perform the function.
However, Fleming et al discloses the use a 2 power sources 114,116 having redundant power paths to a protected circuit and switching between the power sources to prevent side attacks on a protect circuit.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date, to add a second power source to Liu to protect from side attacks as it was a known technique in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 RYAN C JAGER whose telephone number is (571)272-7016. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 - 5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached on 571-270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN JAGER/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842
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