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 .
Abstract Objection
New abstract is required. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is not in format of single paragraph. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 112(b).
Claim 10 is independent method claim in dependent format. Therefore, claim 10 is needed to be rewritten entirely in independent method claim form to clearly define the statutory class method of using the apparatus of independent claim 1 (see MPEP 2173.05(f).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 are allowable.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 1 is allowed over the closest prior art of record. The closest prior art of record Ashburn, Jr. et al. (US 2012/0188107) considered individually or in combination, only discloses the following: a continuous-time analog-to-digital converter (figure 13, 260), configured to convert the analog signal into a request signal (Vn), the request signal comprising at least one pulse (266), each pulse being representative of the analog signal crossing one of a plurality of predetermined levels, and a direction signal, associated to the request signal, the direction signal being representative of a direction of the level crossing; - at least one filtering unit (212), configured to perform a continuous-time finite impulse response filtering operation, the at least one filtering unit being configured to receive the request signal, the direction signal (Ut), and to output a filtered output signal, the at least one filtering unit a delaying module (figure 3, 268/270), configured to receive the request signal V(n) and the direction signal, and to output at least one delayed request signal (output 268/270), delayed from the request signal by a delay time, and at least one delayed direction signal, delayed from the direction signal by the delay time, the at least one delayed request signal being associated with one of the at least one delayed direction signal; and o a calculating module (220/224), connected to the delaying module the calculating module being configured to receive the request signal (Vn), the direction signal, the at least one delayed request signal and the at least one delayed direction signal and to calculate the filtered output signal
The closest prior art of record, fails to fairly teach or suggest the invented features, which is “at least one pulse combiner, connected to the delaying module, the at least one pulse combiner being configured to receive the request signal and the at least one delayed request signal and to output a combined request signal; and - at least one energy estimator, connected to the filtering unit and to the pulse combiner, the at least one energy estimator being configured to receive the filtered output signal and the combined request signal and configured to compute a stored energy value associated with each pulse of the combined request signal”, structurally and functionally interconnected with other limitations in the manner as cited in the claim and dependent claims.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cited references are related to instant application subject matters.
Conclusion
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dameon Levi can be reached at 571 272-2105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAM T MAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845