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.
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.
Claims 8-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 on line 15 recites the limitation “the first subset of the set of digital circuits”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites on line 18 the limitation “the second subset of the set of digital circuits”.
There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 8 recites on line 22 the limitation “the third subset of the set of digital circuits”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 9-15 are also rejected since they depend on independent claim 8 which has been rejected.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 and 16-20 are allowable.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding independent claims 1 and 16, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of a sixth switch coupled to the third transistor and coupled to the second output node; a fourth transistor coupled to the power supply node; a seventh switch coupled to the fourth transistor and to the first output node; and an eighth switch coupled to the fourth transistor and to a ground node; and a control circuit coupled to control the switches of the first DAC sub-circuit and the second DAC sub-circuit. Kim et al (US 2010/0156867) is cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a digital-to-analog converter comprising: a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) sub-circuit that comprises: a plurality of transistors including a first transistor coupled to a power supply node; a plurality of switches, including a first switch coupled to the first transistor and to a first output node; a second switch coupled to the first transistor and to a second output node; a second DAC sub-circuit coupled to the first DAC sub-circuit that comprises: a third transistor coupled to the power supply node; a fifth switch coupled to the third transistor and coupled to the first output node; and a control circuit coupled to control the switches of the first DAC sub-circuit and the second DAC sub-circuit. However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
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.
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/JOSEPH J LAUTURE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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