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 § 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)(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 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by GB 2498946 (Machado).
For claim 1, Machado figure 1 teaches a circuit comprising:
a tuning element (the digital tuned VCO); and
a decoder element (CP) configured to receive a phase signal (output of PFD) that is generated based on a first clock signal (Reference) and a second clock signal (Feedback) and to generate a control word (see, e.g., abstract, “the charge pump / loop filter and, from this signal, generating a digital control word for regulating the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).”) corresponding that is provided to the tuning element.
For claim 8, Machado further teaches a decoder having the decoder element, wherein the decoder is configured to receive [[a]] the phase signal and to generate a digital the control word, and a delay element (VCO comprises of delay elements) having the tuning element is configured to receive the digital control word and to change a relationship between the first and second clock signals (second clock signal changes as the VCO output changes, so the relationship between the reference clock and feedback clock changes).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, and 7 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.
Claims 21-33 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art of record teaches the limitation of the phase comparator accumulating phase information.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM D HOUSTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-7 CST.
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, 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ADAM D HOUSTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842
Prosecution Insights