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 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 17-20 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 17 recites the limitation "the second well " in line 8 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record, Hu et al (US Pub no. 2017/0221821 A1) and Matthews (5108945), fails to teach: a second well having a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type disposed over the first well; an interlayer dielectric layer disposed over the second well; and first diffusion regions formed in the second well.
Claims 13-16 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record, Hu et al (US Pub no. 2017/0221821 A1) and Matthews (5108945), fails to teach wherein the second resistor overlaps the one or more second diffusion regions in the well region.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
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/LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813