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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: . These limitations:
“… to overlap with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction, in the vertical direction, a first distance from the semiconductor substrate to the first position is different from a second distance from the semiconductor substrate to the second position, …”
is awkwardly worded and may lead to confusion. A suggested change for clarity is:
“… to overlap with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction; a first distance from the semiconductor substrate to the first position is different from a second distance from the semiconductor substrate to the second position in the vertical direction; …”
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Groves US 7463112.
Regarding claim 1, Groves discloses a semiconductor circuit comprising:
a semiconductor substrate (see the second sentence of the abstract);
a first T-coil (210a, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a first inductive element and a second inductive element (Lp and Ls [column 3, lines 61-63] and figure 3b) which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,) ; and
a second T-coil (210b, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a third inductive element and a fourth inductive element which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,),
wherein a part of the first T-coil is provided at a first position in a vertical direction from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a part of the second T-coil is provided at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface to overlap with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction (see annotated figure 3b below, where the part of the first T-coil is at a first position in a vertical direction from the substrate and part of the second T-coil is at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface overlapping
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with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction) ,
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in the vertical direction, a first distance from the semiconductor substrate to the first position is different from a second distance from the semiconductor substrate to the second position (see the annotated figure 3b below where the arrows showing the distances from the substrate to the first and second positions are of different magnitudes),
the first T-coil is configured to receive a first signal having a first polarity of a differential signal, and the second T-coil is configured to receive a second signal having a second polarity different from the first polarity of the differential signal (see claim 1 of Groves [column 6, lines 1-11]).
Regarding claim 2, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of the first T-coil and the second T-coil has one of a square annular shape and an octagonal annular shape (see figures 3a and 3b, which show that the T-coils have a square annular shape).
Regarding claim 3, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein a direction of a current of the first signal flowing through the first T-coil and a direction of a current of the second signal flowing through the second T-coil are aligned in an area where the part of the first T-coil and the part of the second T-coil overlap with each other in the vertical direction. Currents flow through the overlapping interleaved spirals, and all parts of both t-coils overlap, so there will be times when a direction of a current of the first signal flowing through the first T-coil and a direction of a current of the second signal flowing through the second T-coil are aligned in a vertical direction. (see figure 3b)
Regarding claim 4, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction (see the annotated figure 3, where the substrate lies in the plane of the first direction and the second direction indicated, see also [column 5, lines 1-12] ) and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the second portion, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion, the one end of the sixth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the second portion, the one end of the seventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the fourth portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; and a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the fourth portion, the one end of the tenth portion being coupled to the other end of the ninth portion. Each of these ten portions are drawn on the stacked t-coil spiral with the portions coupled as shown in the figure the layers are not in contact with each other as this claim requires. The paragraph [column 5, lines 1-12] explains how the interleaved spiral t-coil patterns are isolated from one another.
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Regarding claim 5, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second T-coil includes: an eleventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a twelfth portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the twelfth portion being coupled to the other end of the eleventh portion; a thirteenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the thirteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the twelfth portion; a fourteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the eleventh portion, the one end of the fourteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the thirteenth portion; a fifteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the eleventh portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the twelfth portion, the one end of the fifteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourteenth portion; a sixteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the twelfth portion, the one end of the sixteenth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the fifteenth portion; a seventeenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the twelfth portion, the one end of the seventeenth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the sixteenth portion; an eighteenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction in parallel with the thirteenth portion, the one end of the eighteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventeenth portion; a nineteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the fourteenth portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the eleventh portion, the one end of the nineteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighteenth portion; and a twentieth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the eleventh portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the fourteenth portion, the one end of the twentieth portion being coupled to the other end of the nineteenth portion. This claim is analogous to claim 4, in that ten specific portions of the coil, portions eleven through twenty, and their spatial orientations and electrical connections are specified. The second t-coil illustrated in figure 3b is of the same shape as the first t-coil, and therefore the claimed segments, 11-20, of the second t-coil will be analogous to the segments of the first t-coil, 1-10 shown in annotated figure 3b shown in the rejection of claim 4. Therefore, the rejection of claim 4 above also rejects the respective analogous parts of this claim.
Regarding claim 6, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 5, wherein a part of the twelfth portion is provided above a part of the second portion, a part of the fourteenth portion is provided above a part of the fourth portion, a part of the seventeenth portion is provided above a part of the seventh portion, and a part of the nineteenth portion is provided above a part of the ninth portion. The portions 12, 17, and 19 are parts of the second T-coil, which is stacked with a vertical offset relative to the first T-coil and its portions 2, 4, and 7. Therefore, depending on the orientation of the stack, portions 12, 17, and 19 may be above portions 2, 4, and 7 (see annotated figure 3b in the rejection of claim 4 above).
Regarding claim 7, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 5, wherein the first portion, the fifth portion, the thirteenth portion, and the eighteenth portion are arranged side by side in the second direction, and the third portion, the eighth portion, the eleventh portion, and the fifteenth portion are arranged side by side in the second direction. Annotated figure 3b in the rejection of claim 4 above shows that the portions of the inductive coils of the two T-coils form an interleaved stacked spiral square annular shape, where all the odd numbered portions extend in the first direction and thus are side by side in the second direction.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Groves in view of Lee et al. US 20230207612.
Regarding claim 8, Groves discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 1.
Groves lacks wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction, a third direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction and the second direction, a fourth direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction, and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the sixth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the seventh portion being coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end, extending in the fourth direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as to be in contact with neither the second portion nor the third portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion and a position of the third portion, the one end of the tenth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the ninth portion; an eleventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eleventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the tenth portion; a twelfth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction in parallel with the fourth portion, the one end of the twelfth portion being coupled to the other end of the eleventh portion; a thirteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the first direction in parallel with the fifth portion, the one end of the thirteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the twelfth portion; a fourteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the third direction in parallel with the sixth portion, the one end of the fourteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the thirteenth portion; a fifteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the seventh portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fifteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourteenth portion; and a sixteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the eighth portion, the one end of the sixteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifteenth portion.
However, Lee teaches T-coil type on-chip stacked inductors having an octagonal annular shape as seen in annotated figure 1 below, with the four directions as defined above (indicated by the numbered arrows), as well as sixteen portions of the T-coil as specified in the limitations above, indicated by numbered labels on each corresponding portion of the T-coil, as specified by the limitations above.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the date of filing to use the octagonal annular T-coil taught by Lee in place of the square annular T-coil taught by Groves, as the smoother geometry reduces the series resistance and parasitic capacitance, improving the bandwidth efficiency of the integrated circuit.
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Regarding claim 9, Groves as modified by Lee discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 8, wherein the second T-coil includes: a seventeenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; an eighteenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction, the one end of the eighteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventeenth portion; a nineteenth portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the nineteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighteenth portion; a twentieth portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the twentieth portion being coupled to the other end of the nineteenth portion; a twenty-first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the twenty-first portion being coupled to the other end of the twentieth portion; a twenty-second portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction, the one end of the twenty-second portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-first portion; a twenty-third portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the twenty-third portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-second portion; a twenty-fourth portion having one end and other end, extending in the third direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the seventeenth portion, the one end of the twenty-fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-third portion; a twenty-fifth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the seventeenth portion, and provided so as to be in contact with neither the eighteenth portion nor the nineteenth portion, the one end of the twenty-fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-fourth portion; a twenty-sixth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the eighteenth portion and a position of the nineteenth portion, the one end of the twenty-sixth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the twenty-fifth portion; a twenty-seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the nineteenth portion, the one end of the twenty-seventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the twenty-sixth portion; a twenty-eighth portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction in parallel with the twentieth portion, the one end of the twenty-eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-seventh portion; a twenty-ninth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction in parallel with the twenty-first portion, the one end of the twenty-ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-eighth portion; a thirtieth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction in parallel with the twenty-second portion, the one end of the thirtieth portion being coupled to the other end of the twenty-ninth portion; a thirty-first portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the twenty-third portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the seventeenth portion, the one end of the thirty-first portion being coupled to the other end of the thirtieth portion; and a thirty-second portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the seventeenth portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the twenty-fourth portion, the one end of the thirty-second portion being coupled to the other end of the thirty-first portion. The second T-coil is congruent with the first T-coil (taught by Groves, figure 3a), so this second T-coil is congruent to the first T-coil of claim 8 above taught in by Lee, where portions 17-32 are congruent to portions 1-16, respectively. Therefore claim 9 is rejected as its limitations are analogous to the limitations of claim 8, rejected above.
Regarding claim 10, Groves as modified by Lee discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 9, wherein a part of the nineteenth portion is provided above a part of the third portion, a part of the twenty-third portion is provided above a part of the seventh portion, a part of the twenty-seventh portion is provided above a part of the twelfth portion, and a part of the thirty-first portion is provided above a part of the sixteenth portion. Groves (figure 3b) teaches that the T-coils are vertically stacked. As described in the combination of Groves with Lee, because the 19th, 23rd , 27th and 31st portions are located in the second T-coil and the 3rd, 7th, 12th and 16th portions are in the first T-coil, then the 19th, 23rd , 27th and 31st portions may be located above the 3rd, 7th, 12th and 16th portions.
Regarding claim 11, Groves as modified by Lee discloses the semiconductor circuit according to claim 9, wherein the first portion, the ninth portion, the twenty-first portion, and the twenty-ninth portion are arranged side by side in the second direction, and the fifth portion, the fourteenth portion, the seventeenth portion, and the twenty-fifth portion are arranged side by side in the second direction. Annotated figure 1 in the rejection of claim 8 above shows, in the combination of Groves and Lee, the portions of the inductive coils of the two T-coils, where the portions 17-32 are analogues to portions 1-16 respectively. The first portion, the ninth portion, the twenty-first portion, the twenty-ninth portion all extend in the first direction and thus are side by side in the second direction. Likewise, the fifth portion, the fourteenth portion, the seventeenth portion, and the twenty-fifth all extend in the first direction and thus are side by side in the second direction.
Claims 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Groves in view of Dreps et al. US 20080189455.
Regarding claim 12, Groves discloses a semiconductor circuit including:
a semiconductor substrate (see the second sentence of the abstract);
a first T-coil (210a, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a first inductive element and a second inductive element (Lp and Ls [column 3, lines 61-63] and figure 3b) which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,) ; and
a second T-coil (210b, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a third inductive element and a fourth inductive element which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,),
wherein a part of the first T-coil is provided at a first position in a vertical direction from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a part of the second T-coil is provided at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface to overlap with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction (see annotated figure 3b below, where the part of the first T-coil is at a first position in a vertical direction from the substrate and part of the second T-coil is at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface overlapping
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with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction) ,
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in the vertical direction, a first distance from the semiconductor substrate to the first position is different from a second distance from the semiconductor substrate to the second position (see the annotated figure 3b below where the arrows showing the distances from the substrate to the first and second positions are of different magnitudes),
the first T-coil is configured to receive a first signal having a first polarity of a differential signal, and the second T-coil is configured to receive a second signal having a second polarity different from the first polarity of the differential signal (see claim 1 of Groves [column 6, lines 1-11]).
Groves lacks a memory device; and a memory controller including an interface circuit including a semiconductor circuit and configured to control operation of the memory device based on communication via the interface circuit.
However, Dreps discloses a memory system comprising a memory device and memory controller (figure 2 and paragraphs [0031 and 0032]) including a semiconductor circuit comprising two t-coils (figure 6 [0052 0053]) configured to control operation of the memory device based on communication via the interface circuit (figure 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the date of filing to use the stacked T-coil semiconductor circuit of Groves in the memory device and controller of Dreps in order to improve and stabilize the differential signal of the memory controller using a more compact circuit and increase the function of the system of Groves.
Regarding claim 13, Groves as modified by Dreps discloses the memory system according to claim 12, wherein each of the first T-coil and the second T-coil has one of a square annular shape and an octagonal annular shape (see figures 3a and 3b of Groves, which show that each of the T-coils have a square annular shape).
Regarding claim 14, Groves as modified by Dreps discloses the memory system according to claim 12, wherein a direction of a current of the first signal flowing through the first T-coil and a direction of a current of the second signal flowing through the second T-coil are aligned in an area where the part of the first T-coil and the part of the second T-coil overlap with each other in the vertical direction. Currents flow through the overlapping interleaved spirals, and all parts of both t-coils overlap, so there will be times when a direction of a current of the first signal flowing through the first T-coil and a direction of a current of the second signal flowing through the second T-coil are aligned in a vertical direction. (see figure 3b)
Regarding claim 15, Groves as modified by Dreps discloses the memory system according to claim 12, wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction (see the annotated figure 3, where the substrate lies in the plane of the first direction and the second direction indicated, see also [column 5, lines 1-12] ) and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the second portion, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion, the one end of the sixth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the second portion, the one end of the seventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the fourth portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; and a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the fourth portion, the one end of the tenth portion being coupled to the other end of the ninth portion. Each of these ten portions are drawn on the stacked t-coil spiral with the portions coupled as shown in the figure the layers are not in contact with each other as this claim requires. The paragraph [column 5, lines 1-12] explains how the interleaved spiral t-coil patterns are isolated from one another.
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Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Groves in view of Dreps and further in view of Lee et al. US 20230207612.
Regarding claim 16, Groves as modified by Dreps discloses the memory system according to claim 12.
Groves as modified by Dreps lacks wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction, a third direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction and the second direction, a fourth direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction, and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the sixth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the seventh portion being coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end, extending in the fourth direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as to be in contact with neither the second portion nor the third portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion and a position of the third portion, the one end of the tenth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the ninth portion; an eleventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eleventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the tenth portion; a twelfth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction in parallel with the fourth portion, the one end of the twelfth portion being coupled to the other end of the eleventh portion; a thirteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the first direction in parallel with the fifth portion, the one end of the thirteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the twelfth portion; a fourteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the third direction in parallel with the sixth portion, the one end of the fourteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the thirteenth portion; a fifteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the seventh portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fifteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourteenth portion; and a sixteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the eighth portion, the one end of the sixteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifteenth portion.
However, Lee teaches T-coil type on-chip stacked inductors having an octagonal annular shape as seen in annotated figure 1 below, with the four directions as defined above (indicated by the numbered arrows), as well as sixteen portions of the T-coil as specified in the limitations above, indicated by numbered labels on each corresponding portion of the T-coil, as specified by the limitations above.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the date of filing to use the octagonal annular T-coil taught by Lee in place of the square annular T-coil taught by Groves as modified by Dreps, as the smoother geometry reduces the series resistance and parasitic capacitance, improving the bandwidth efficiency of the integrated circuit.
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Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Groves in view of Tirunagari et al. US 20150214943.
Regarding claim 17, Groves discloses a semiconductor circuit including:
a semiconductor substrate (see the second sentence of the abstract);
a first T-coil (210a, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a first inductive element and a second inductive element (Lp and Ls [column 3, lines 61-63] and figure 3b) which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,) ; and
a second T-coil (210b, figure 2, [column 3, lines 57-59]) provided apart from the semiconductor substrate (see figure 3b) and including a third inductive element and a fourth inductive element which are coupled in series (figures 1a, 1b, and figure 2 show that the inductive elements are connected in series within each T-coil, for the prior art in 1a and 1b and in figure 2 for the stacked t-coil circuit, which seems to have an error in the circuit diagram with a missing connection on the upper Lp,),
wherein a part of the first T-coil is provided at a first position in a vertical direction from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a part of the second T-coil is provided at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface to overlap with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction (see annotated figure 3b below, where the part of the first T-coil is at a first position in a vertical direction from the substrate and part of the second T-coil is at a second position in the vertical direction from the surface overlapping
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with the part of the first T-coil in the vertical direction) ,
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in the vertical direction, a first distance from the semiconductor substrate to the first position is different from a second distance from the semiconductor substrate to the second position (see the annotated figure 3b below where the arrows showing the distances from the substrate to the first and second positions are of different magnitudes),
the first T-coil is configured to receive a first signal having a first polarity of a differential signal, and the second T-coil is configured to receive a second signal having a second polarity different from the first polarity of the differential signal (see claim 1 of Groves [column 6, lines 1-11]).
Groves lacks an information processing device comprising: an interface circuit including a semiconductor circuit; and a processor configured to control an external device coupled thereto via the interface circuit.
However, Tirunagari discloses an information processing device 900 (figure 9, [0063-0069]) comprising an interface circuit including a semiconductor circuit [figures 4-7, circuits 300, 400, 500, 600], to control an external device coupled thereto via the interface circuit (figure 8, method 800).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the date of filing to use the stacked T-coil semiconductor circuit of Groves in the processing device 900 of Tirunagari in order to improve and stabilize the switching signal using a more compact circuit.
Regarding claim 18, Groves as modified by Tirunagari discloses the information processing device according to claim 17, wherein each of the first T-coil and the second T-coil has one of a square annular shape and an octagonal annular shape (see figures 3a and 3b of Groves, which show that the T-coils have a square annular shape).
Regarding claim 19, Groves as modified by Tirunagari discloses the information processing device according to claim 17, wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction (see the annotated figure 3, where the substrate lies in the plane of the first direction and the second direction indicated, see also [column 5, lines 1-12] ) and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the second portion, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion, the one end of the sixth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the second portion, the one end of the seventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the fourth portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; and a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the fourth portion, the one end of the tenth portion being coupled to the other end of the ninth portion. Each of these ten portions are drawn on the stacked t-coil spiral with the portions coupled as shown in the figure the layers are not in contact with each other as this claim requires. The paragraph [column 5, lines 1-12] explains how the interleaved spiral t-coil patterns are isolated from one another.
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Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Groves in view of Tirunagari and further in view of Lee.
Regarding claim 20, Groves as modified by Tirunagari discloses the information processing device according to claim 17.
Groves as modified by Tirunagari lacks wherein the surface of the semiconductor substrate is parallel to a plane defined by a first direction and a second direction that intersects the first direction, a third direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction and the second direction, a fourth direction is included in the plane defined by the first direction and the second direction and is different from the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction, and the first T-coil includes: a first portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction; a second portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the second portion being coupled to the other end of the first portion; a third portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the third portion being coupled to the other end of the second portion; a fourth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction, the one end of the fourth portion being coupled to the other end of the third portion; a fifth portion having one end and other end and extending in the first direction, the one end of the fifth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourth portion; a sixth portion having one end and other end and extending in the third direction, the one end of the sixth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifth portion; a seventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction, the one end of the seventh portion being coupled to the other end of the sixth portion; an eighth portion having one end and other end, extending in the fourth direction, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the eighth portion being coupled to the other end of the seventh portion; a ninth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as to be in contact with neither the second portion nor the third portion, the one end of the ninth portion being coupled to the other end of the eighth portion; a tenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction, and provided at a position different from a position of the second portion and a position of the third portion, the one end of the tenth portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the ninth portion; an eleventh portion having one end and other end and extending in the second direction in parallel with the third portion, the one end of the eleventh portion being electrically coupled to the other end of the tenth portion; a twelfth portion having one end and other end and extending in the fourth direction in parallel with the fourth portion, the one end of the twelfth portion being coupled to the other end of the eleventh portion; a thirteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the first direction in parallel with the fifth portion, the one end of the thirteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the twelfth portion; a fourteenth portion having one end and other end extending in the third direction in parallel with the sixth portion, the one end of the fourteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the thirteenth portion; a fifteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the second direction in parallel with the seventh portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the first portion, the one end of the fifteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fourteenth portion; and a sixteenth portion having one end and other end, extending in the first direction in parallel with the first portion, and provided so as not to be in contact with the eighth portion, the one end of the sixteenth portion being coupled to the other end of the fifteenth portion.
However, Lee teaches T-coil type on-chip stacked inductors having an octagonal annular shape as seen in annotated figure 1 below, with the four directions as defined above (indicated by the numbered arrows), as well as sixteen portions of the T-coil as specified in the limitations above, indicated by numbered labels on each corresponding portion of the T-coil, as specified by the limitations above.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the date of filing to use the octagonal annular T-coil taught by Lee in place of the square annular T-coil taught by Groves as modified by Tirunagari, as the smoother coil geometry reduces the series resistance and parasitic capacitance, improving the bandwidth efficiency of the integrated circuit.
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Li et al. US 20190189734 discloses a coupled T-coil, emphasizing the effects of the winding direction of the coils on differential mode bandwidth and common mode stability.
Kireev et al. US 20110248811 discloses a vertically stacked dual inductor structure implemented in a semiconductor integrated circuit.
Lee et al. US 20100148866 discloses a variety of winding patterns for inductive coils.
Noh et al. US 20230154871 discloses a memory system comprising multiple vertically stacked induction coils.
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/KATRINA WALJESKI-MOSES/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/JEFF W NATALINI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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