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
In response to the Communications dated April 8, 2026, claims 1-16 and 18-21 are active in
this application.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-5 and 7-14 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.
Claim Rejections- 35 U.S.C. § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. [CN 107404112 A].
With respect to claim 1, Zhang et al. disclose a probabilistic random number generator [fig. 7], comprising: a controller [61] comprising a plurality of control lines [CSb1-CSbn]: a memory cell [any MTJ of 60] comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ); and a current source [CSs1-CSsn via CS1-CSn] coupled with the MTJ and the controller such that the current source is coupled between the MTJ and the controller, and wherein the current source comprises: a plurality of current paths [CSs1-CSsn via CS1-CSn has multiple paths, parallel to each other] disposed in parallel with one another; and a plurality of MTJs [60 is an array with a plurality of MTJs] on respective ones of the plurality of current paths, and coupled to respective ones of the plurality of control lines [the plurality of MTJ’s are coupled to the respective control lies [CSv1-CSbn via CS1-CSn]].
With respect to claim 2, Zhang et al. disclose a plurality of transistors [transistors (CS1-CSn] arranged on the plurality of current paths, respectively, wherein each current path includes a respective transistor and a respective MTJ arranged in series [transistors coupled to respective MTJ’s] on that current path.
With respect to claim 6, Zhang et al. disclose the MTJ comprises: a ferromagnetic free layer [10]; a non-magnetic barrier layer overlying the ferromagnetic free layer [11]; and a ferromagnetic reference layer overlying the non-magnetic barrier layer [12].
Remarks
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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15, 16 and 18-21 are allowable over the prior art of record.
The following is an Examiner's statement of reasons for the indication of
allowable subject matter: the prior art of records does not show (in addition to the other
elements in the claim) the following:
-with respect to claim 15, a controller configured to write a probabilistic random data state to the memory cell by applying a predetermined current pulse shape to the memory cell, wherein the predetermined current pulse shape is configured to switch the memory cell from a first stable data state to a second stable data state with a probability of between 5% and 95%.
-with respect to claim 18, selecting a subset of predetermined current pulse shapes from a set of predetermined current pulse shapes, the set including a greater number of predetermined current pulse shapes than the subset, and applying the subset of predetermined current pulse shapes to the memory cell when the memory cell is in the first data state, wherein the subset of predetermined current pulse shapes have different current amplitudes and/or pulse widths corresponding to different switching probabilities to switch the memory cell from the first data state to a second data state.
Conclusion
For applicant’s benefit portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in
the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
When responding to the Office action, Applicants are advised to provide
the Examiner with line and page numbers of the application and/or references cited to assist the Examiner in the prosecution of this case.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications
from the Examiner should be directed to Michael T. Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-1795. Interview agendas may be emailed to Michael.tran@uspto.gov. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from 6:00AM-4:30 P.M.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application.
should be directed to the Group receptionist whose telephone number is (571) 272-1650.
/MICHAEL T TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2827 May 2, 2026
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