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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed June 11, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-2, 11-12, and 28-29 are rejected over the previously applied reference but based upon a different application of the reference in view of the newly added claim features.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 11-12, and 28-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2007/0188194 to Yang et al. (“Yang”).
With respect to claim 1, Yang discloses in Fig. 6 an integrated circuit, comprising:
a level-shifting subcircuit (e.g., 320 excluding 326), configured to generate a first control signal (e.g., N13) within a first power domain (e.g., VPP) and a second control signal (e.g., output of 336) within a second power domain (e.g., VDD) in response to an input voltage signal (e.g., INS1); and
a driving circuit (e.g., 326 and 350), configured to receive the first control signal and the second control signal (e.g., N13 and output of 336), and generate an output voltage signal (e.g., OUT) within the first power domain (e.g., VPP) in response to the first control signal (e.g., N13) and the second control signal (e.g., output of 336),
wherein a voltage range of the first power domain (e.g., VPP) differs from that of the second power domain (e.g., VPP is higher than VDD per Paras. 7-8).
With respect to claim 2, the level-shifting subcircuit (e.g., 320 excluding 326) comprises a cross-coupled latch circuit (e.g., 328 and 330) and a first inverter (e.g., 336), and the driving circuit (e.g., 326 and 50) comprises a voltage pull-up device (e.g., 352) and a voltage pull-down device (e.g., 354).
With respect to claim 11, the above discussion for claim 1 similarly applies. Further, the output signal (e.g., OUT) has a voltage range wider than that of the input range (e.g., (e.g., VPP level of OUT is higher than VDD level of INS1 per Paras. 7-8).
With respect to claim 12, the above discussion for claim 2 similarly applies.
With respect to claim 28, the above discussion for claim 2 similarly applies.
With respect to claim 29, the first inverter (e.g., 336) is coupled between a first power supply voltage (e.g., VDD) and a reference voltage (e.g., VSS) which constitute a first power domain (e.g., VDD); the cross-coupled latch circuit (e.g., 328 and 330) is coupled between a second power supply voltage (e.g., VPP) and the reference voltage (e.g., VSS) which constitute a second power domain (e.g., VPP); and the second power supply voltage (e.g., VPP) is higher than the first power supply voltage (e.g., VDD).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 11, 2026 are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 6, 13-14, 21-27, and 30-31 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jung KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-7964. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9AM to 5:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Lincoln Donovan, can be reached at (571)272-1988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUNG KIM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842
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