Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/720,660

Two-stage Successive Approximation Register Analog to Digital Converter (SAR ADC) Based on Difference and Differential Amplifier

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Jan 09, 2025
Priority
Dec 06, 2022 — CN 202211552902.7 +1 more
Examiner
LAUTURE, JOSEPH J
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Jiangsu Gtic Microelectronics Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
95%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 95% — above average
95%
Career Allowance Rate
727 granted / 766 resolved
+34.9% vs TC avg
Minimal +1% lift
Without
With
+0.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 8m
Avg Prosecution
9 currently pending
Career history
773
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.8%
-31.2% vs TC avg
§103
56.0%
+16.0% vs TC avg
§102
13.8%
-26.2% vs TC avg
§112
12.6%
-27.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 766 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 application has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible typographical and grammatical errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which he/she may become aware in the application. The Information Disclosure Statements filed 06/17/2024 has been considered. 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. Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention. Claim 1 on line 27 recites the limitation “step V, integrating flipping conditions of the capacitor arrays”. It is not clear what is meant by that. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 1 on line 21 recites the limitation “in a case that a last pair of capacitors”. It is not clear what is meant. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 2 on line 3 recites the limitation “a working process of the two-stage successive approximation register…””. It is not clear what is meant by a working process. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 2 on lines 4-5 recites the limitation “roughly digitizing a differential input”. It is not clear what is meant by that. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 3 on line 3 recites the limitation “a specific working process”. It is not clear what is meant by that. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 3 on lines 6 and 9 respectively recites the limitation “a voltage signal VO”, and “an output voltage Vo”. It is not clear whether both limitations refer to the same output voltage. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 6 on line 5 recites the limitation “in a case that 1/Gm1=1/Gm2<<R”. It is not clear what is meant by “in a case”. Clarification and correction are required. Claim 4 recites the limitation “ the output currents" in line 3 There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors. Claim 5 is also rejected due to its dependency on claims 1-4 which is hereby rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). Drawing Objections 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 calibrating circuit 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. Citation of Relevant prior Art The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Jeon et al (US 2010/0156692) teach a multi-stage successive approximation register analog to digital converter (ADC) based on differential amplifier, comprising a first-stage sub-ADC, a differential amplifier, and a second-stage sub-ADC connected in sequence, wherein the first-stage sub-ADC and the second-stage sub-ADC each comprise capacitor arrays and comparators; and further comprising a calibrating circuit, digital logic control circuit and a residue amplifier. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH J LAUTURE whose telephone number is (571)272-1805. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 AM-6:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dameon Levi can be reached at 5712722105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JOSEPH J LAUTURE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 09, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
95%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+0.9%)
1y 8m (~2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 766 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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