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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: on line 2 of paragraph [0074], “feedback resister” should be changed to -- feedback resistor -- and “a plurality of resisters” should be changed to -- a plurality of resistors --. Note that the same type of change is needed on lines 1-4 of paragraph [0075] and line 15 of paragraph [0096]. Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because there are no labels for blocks 21-23, 40 and 50 in figure 1; blocks 21A, 22Aa-22Ac, 23Aa-23Ac, 40A and 50A in figure 5; blocks 21B, 22Ba, 23Ba, 23Bb, 40B and 50B in figure 7; blocks 21C, 22Ca-22Cc, 23Ca-23Cb, 40C and 50C in figure 8; blocks 21D, 22Da, 23Da-23Db, 40D and 50D in figure 9 and blocks 120a-120b, 120c1-120c2, 130, 140, 150 and 160 in figure 14 . These blocks need to have descriptive labels under 37 CFR 1.84(n) and 1.84(0).
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.
Claim Objections
Claims 19-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 19-20 recite, “a plurality of resisters” and “switches the resisters” should be -- a plurality of resistors – and -- switches the resistors --. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by
Fukano et al. (US 2021/0098237 and Fukano hereinafter)
Regarding claim 11, Fukano discloses a high-frequency power supply [figs. 10-11, par. 0095], comprising: an RF pulse signal generation unit [1b and 9] that converts an RF signal into pulses to generate an RF pulse signal [Vo]; and a control unit [2b] that outputs setting data [FREQUENCY, CYCLE, DUTY RATIO, PULSE LEVEL] for controlling the RF pulse signal generation unit, wherein the setting data is frequency setting data for setting a frequency of the RF signal [FREQUENCY] and control setting data for setting a cycle and a duty ratio of the RF pulse signal as well as an output level of the RF pulse signal [par. 0079 and 0095-0115, figs. 10-11], the RF pulse signal generation unit [1b and 9] comprises: an RF signal generation unit [6] that generates, based on the frequency setting data [FREQUENCY], an RF signal [SO] at a frequency set in the frequency setting data; a pulse conversion/gain control signal generation unit [7] that generates, based on the control setting data [par. 0098], a control signal [Vp] for performing pulse conversion control on the RF signal in the cycle and at the duty ratio set in the control setting data and level control on the RF signal at the output level set in the control setting data [par. 0079 and 0095-0115, figs. 10-11]; a pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit [8 and 9] that generates the RF pulse signal [Vo] from the RF signal [SO] based on the control signal; and a single control line [line Vp] that connects the pulse conversion/gain control signal generation unit [7] to the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit to transmit the control signal [Vp], the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit [8 and 9] performs, based on the control signal [Vp], the pulse conversion control for converting the RF signal into pulses in the set cycle and at the set duty ratio, variable control on an amplification gain of the RF signal, and the level control on the level of the RF signal to be the set output level [par. 0101-0102].
Regarding claim 12, Fukano discloses [fig. 10] wherein the control signal [Vp] has sloping waveforms on its rising and falling edges, and the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit [8 and 9] generates an RF pulse signal [Vo] having a rise time and a fall time during rising and falling [par. 0096].
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 (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 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 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano et al. in view of Arisawa (US 2001/0013814).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Fukano discloses all the features with respect to claims 11 and 12 as outlined above. Fukano further discloses [see fig. 10] conversion gain amplification unit [8 and 9]. Fukano does not explicitly disclose a variable attenuator amplifier that varies an amount of attenuation of the RF signal by using the control signal, in which the control signal is a voltage signal and the variable attenuator amplifier comprises a variable attenuator, and changes an amount of attenuation of an RF signal passing through the variable attenuator by using the voltage signal to thereby perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
However, Arisawa discloses a variable attenuator amplifier [fig. 16 and 19] that varies an amount of attenuation of signal [SC] by using control signal [TX] and the variable attenuator amplifier comprises a variable attenuator [82]. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fukano by incorporate variable attenuator amplifier as taught in Arisawa in order to provide change the amount of attenuation of an RF signal passing through the variable attenuator by using the voltage signal to thereby perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Regarding claim 15, Fukano in view of Arisawa discloses [fig. 16 and 19] wherein the variable attenuator comprises a semiconductor element [par. 0061], and changes the amount of attenuation of the RF signal due to change in a resistance component of the semiconductor element by using the voltage signal to thereby perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Regarding claim 16, Fukano in view of Arisawa discloses [fig. 16 and 19] wherein the variable attenuator comprises a semiconductor element [par. 0061], and changes the amount of attenuation of the RF signal due to change in a resistance component of the semiconductor element by using the voltage signal to thereby perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Regarding claim 17, Fukano in view of Arisawa discloses [par. 0061] wherein the variable attenuator forms an attenuator network with the semiconductor element and resistive elements.
Regarding claim 18, Fukano in view of Arisawa discloses [par. 0061] wherein the variable attenuator forms an attenuator network with the semiconductor element and resistive elements.
Regarding claims 19 and 20, Fukano discloses all the features with respect to claims 11 and 12 as outlined above. Fukano further discloses [see fig. 10] conversion gain amplification unit [8 and 9]. Fukano does not explicitly disclose a variable attenuator amplifier for varying the amount of attenuation of the RF signal by using the control signal, in which the control signal is a control code, the variable attenuator amplifier comprises a variable attenuator consisting of a plurality of resistors having different resistance values, and switches the resistors by using the control code to perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
However, Arisawa discloses a variable attenuator amplifier [fig. 16 and 19] that varies an amount of attenuation of signal [SC] by using control signal [TX] and the variable attenuator amplifier comprises a variable attenuator [82] consisting of a plurality of resisters [fig. 9, par. 0057-0061] having different resistance values, and switches the resisters by using the control code [TX]. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fukano by incorporate variable attenuator amplifier as taught in Arisawa in order to provide change the amount of attenuation of an RF signal passing through the variable attenuator by using the voltage signal to thereby perform the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Claims 20-21 and 23-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano et al. in view of Zhu (US 2011/0050333) further in view of Mamezaki (JP 2007019821A).
Regarding claims 20-21 and 23-24, Fukano discloses all the features with respect to claims 11 and 12 as outlined above. Fukano further discloses [see fig. 10] conversion gain amplification unit [8 and 9]. Fukano does not explicitly disclose wherein the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit is a conductance amplifier that varies a mutual conductance by using the control signal, in which the control signal is a voltage signal, and the conductance amplifier comprises a semiconductor element, and performs the variable control on the amplification gain by changing the mutual conductance of the semiconductor element by using the voltage signal and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
However, Zhu discloses variable gain amplification unit [fig. 5] is a conductance amplifier [10/11] that varies a mutual conductance [Gm] by using a control signal [131], in which the control signal is a voltage signal/a control code [par. 0062-0083]. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fukano by incorporate variable attenuator amplifier as taught in Zhu in order to perform the variable control on the amplification gain by changing the mutual conductance of the semiconductor element by using the voltage signal and the level control on the RF pulse signal. Fukano in view of Zhu discloses the conductance amplifier comprises a semiconductor element.
However, Mamezaki disclose a conductance amplifier comprises a semiconductor element [page 5]. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fukano/Zhu by incorporate semiconductor element as taught in Zhu in order to utilize known conductance amplifier.
Regarding claim 25, Fukano in view of Zhu further in view of Mamezaki discloses wherein the conductance amplifier comprises a plurality of capacitors [115, fig. 5] having different capacitance values, the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit switches the capacitors by using the control code [131] to vary the mutual conductance, thereby performing the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Regarding claim 26, Fukano in view of Zhu further in view of Mamezaki discloses wherein the conductance amplifier comprises a plurality of capacitors [115, fig. 5] having different capacitance values, the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit switches the capacitors by using the control code [131] to vary the mutual conductance, thereby performing the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Claims 27-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukano et al. in view of Zhu and Mamezaki further in view of Yan et al. (CN 112787604 and Yan hereinafter).
Regarding claims 27-28, Fukano in view of Zhu and Mamezaki discloses all the features with respect to claims 23 and 24 as outlined above. Fukano in view of Zhu and Mamezaki further discloses [see fig. 10] conversion gain amplification unit [8 and 9]. Fukano in view of Zhu and Mamezaki does not explicitly disclose wherein the pulse conversion/variable gain amplification unit comprises a plurality of conductance amplifiers having different mutual conductance values, and switches the conductance amplifiers by using the control code to vary the mutual conductance, thereby performing the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
However, Yan discloses amplification unit [fig. 2] comprises a plurality of conductance amplifiers [131] having different mutual conductance values, and switches the conductance amplifiers by using control code [EN] to vary the mutual conductance. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fukano in view of Zhu and Mamezaki by incorporate plurality of conductance amplifiers as taught in Yan in order to thereby performing the variable control on the amplification gain and the level control on the RF pulse signal.
Conclusion
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/METASEBIA T RETEBO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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