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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on August 1, 2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 5 and 10 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 5 recites the limitation "a third controllable current path" and “a fourth controllable current path” in line 2 and line 9, respectively. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the first and second controllable current paths are not shown in independent claim 1. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 4.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a secondary output signal" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the primary output signal is not shown in independent claim 1. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 4.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a secondary voltage signal" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the primary voltage signal is not shown in independent claim 1. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 4.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "a third controllable current path" and “a fourth controllable current path” in line 3 and line 9, respectively. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the first and second controllable current paths are not shown in independent claim 6. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 9.
Claim 10 recites the limitation " the input signal, IN" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as "an input signal, IN" is not shown in independent claim 6.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "a secondary output signal" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the primary output signal is not shown in independent claim 6. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 9.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "a secondary voltage signal" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This is unclear as the primary voltage signal is not shown in independent claim 6. This claim appears to be dependent on claim 9.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Applicant is reminded that claim mapping is provided as a courtesy to the applicant, but applicant should consider a reference as a whole, as the entire reference gives context to mapped sections.
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, 4, 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ozasa et al. (JP 2001313561 A); hereinafter Ozasa.
Regarding Claim 1, Ozasa discloses an electronic device for shifting a voltage level [Fig. 10], the device comprising: a feedforward component [Fig. 10] configured for one-shot shifting a first voltage level [IN] of a first domain [VDD1/VSS1] to a third voltage level [OUT] of a third domain [VDD3/VSS2] via at least one second voltage level [voltage at M37-drain] of at least one second domain [VDD2], wherein the third voltage level is different from the first voltage level [paragraph 0140], wherein the at least one second voltage level is different from the first voltage level and from the third voltage level [paragraph 0140]; and a feedback component [current mirror including M33/M34/M35] configured for feeding back the third voltage level from the third domain to the at least one second domain.
Regarding Claim 4, Ozasa discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the feedforward component comprises a first controllable current path controlled by: a set signal corresponding to an input signal; and a primary output signal supplied from the second domain, wherein the first controllable current path is configured to impose the set signal onto a primary voltage signal of the third domain [M34 path, paragraph 0132], and wherein the feedback component comprises a second controllable current path controlled by the primary voltage signal and configured to feed the primary voltage signal back to the primary output signal of the second domain [M35 path, paragraph 0133].
Regarding Claim 6, Ozasa discloses a method for shifting a voltage level [Fig. 10], the method comprising: in a feedforward operation [Fig. 10]: one-shot shifting a first voltage level [IN] of a first domain [VDD1/VSS1] to a third voltage level [OUT] of a third domain [VDD3/VSS2] via at least one second voltage level [voltage at M37-drain] of at least one second domain [VDD2], wherein the third voltage level is different from the first voltage level [paragraph 0140], wherein the at least one second voltage level is different from the first voltage level and from the third voltage level [paragraph 0140]; and in a feedback operation [current mirror including M33/M34.M35]: feeding back the third voltage level from the third domain to the at least one second domain.
Regarding Claim 9, Ozasa discloses the method according to claim 6, further comprising: in the feedforward operation: controlling a first controllable current path by: a set signal corresponding to an input signal; and a primary output signal supplied from the second domain; and imposing the set signal onto a primary voltage signal of the third domain, using the first controllable current path [M34 path, paragraph 0132]; and in the feedback operation: controlling a second controllable current path by the primary voltage signal; and feeding the primary voltage signal back to the primary output signal of the second domain [M35 path, paragraph 0133].
Claims 1-3 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Stroberger (US 4700087 A); hereinafter Stroberger.
Regarding Claim 1, Stroberger discloses an electronic device for shifting a voltage level [Fig. 2], the device comprising: a feedforward component [20] configured for one-shot shifting a first voltage level [Vin] of a first domain [-Vee/ground] to a third voltage level [Vo] of a third domain [Vcc/ground] via at least one second voltage level [the voltage at the node between R4 and Q3] of at least one second domain [Vcc/-Vee], wherein the third voltage level is different from the first voltage level [column 4, lines 6-18], wherein the at least one second voltage level is different from the first voltage level and from the third voltage level; and a feedback component [R5/R6] configured for feeding back the third voltage level from the third domain to the at least one second domain.
Regarding Claim 2, Stroberger discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the feedback component is configured for feeding back the third voltage level only after the feedforward component has achieved the one-shot shifting [column 4, lines 35-63].
Regarding Claim 3, Stroberger discloses the claimed invention except for the device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second voltage level comprises a plurality of intermediate voltage levels so that the feedforward component spans at least four voltage levels. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to comprise a plurality of intermediate voltage levels so that the feedforward component spans at least four voltage levels, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding Claim 6, Stroberger discloses a method for shifting a voltage level [Fig. 2], the method comprising: in a feedforward operation [Fig. 20]: one-shot shifting a first voltage level [Vin] of a first domain [-Vee/ground] to a third voltage level [Vo] of a third domain [Vcc/ground] via at least one second voltage level [the voltage at the node between R4 and Q3] of at least one second domain [Vcc/-Vee], wherein the third voltage level is different from the first voltage level [column 4, lines 6-18], wherein the at least one second voltage level is different from the first voltage level and from the third voltage level; and in a feedback operation [R5/R6]: feeding back the third voltage level from the third domain to the at least one second domain.
Regarding Claim 7, Stroberger discloses the method according to claim 6, wherein the step of feeding back the third voltage level is performed only after the one-shot shifting has been achieved [column 4, lines 35-63].
Regarding Claim 8, Stroberger discloses the claimed invention except for the method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one second voltage level comprises a plurality of intermediate voltage levels so that the feedforward operation spans at least four voltage levels. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to comprise a plurality of intermediate voltage levels so that the feedforward operation spans at least four voltage levels, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 Amit Bhatia whose telephone number is (571)272-4410. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm EST.
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/Amit R Bhatia/Examiner, Art Unit 2842
/LINCOLN D DONOVAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2842